Antiquis Viam
by anidnawind
Summary: Evil's seal has become stronger than ever, allowing the modern land of Hyrule to advance. However, when two girls find each other by mistake, the peaceful nation will fall into the mother of all battles, all caused by two spirits upon an ancient path.
1. The Prologue

**I hate the 225 character limit for summaries, so I'm putting the full summary here. It's a lot better than the one displayed.**

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_**With Ganondorf's seal becoming stronger each century, the modern country of Hyrule has been able to focus on crafting a stronger government, a better economy, and more innovative technology. However, when two girls mistakingly find each other at a camp, the peaceful nation of Hyrule will be thrown into the mother of all battles. Faith will be tested, history will be discovered, and memories will resurface, all because two girls' spirits walked upon the ancient paths of destiny.**_

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**Hello. I'm anidnawind, but you can call me Ani. I'll be your host here in the author's note for the next year or so. Welcome. **

**First of all, I'd like to thank you for choosing my story to read today. It means a lot. And for future reference, this is my first story here on FanFiction. ****Secondly, if you review, do not make it vague. If it is bad, say why. If it is good, say why. It's called _reviewing_, not _commenting_. ****Finally, special thanks to the amazing LeilaEditer for beta reading! This story was slightly inspired by her _Reality_, so it is an honor to have her edit my writing! Check out her story. Now. SERIOUSLY!**

**I don't own the Legend of Zelda. Sorry.**

**Enjoy!**

**-Ani**

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**Prologue**

Gazing sullenly at his wife's limp, lifeless body, a middle-aged man held two infants in his arms. His adviser a strong, yet thin, young woman with long, flaxen hair pulled up into a ponytail, took the older baby into her arms.

"It pains me, Your Majesty, to inform you that you will not be losing one of your beloved today, but two. You are most certainly aware that twins are forbidden in the royal family ever since your ancestor's tragedy, am I correct?" The woman informed, her voice still as sturdy as a rock, despite the sudden death of her country's queen.

"Yes, Impa."

The man, a stern individual with prematurely grey hair and a beard, cradled the younger twin. He was stunned, not only because his wife had given birth to two children, but for the fact that the doctor had not cared whether his wife was in pain or not. The doctor just wanted to get paid for the evening, and his greed had come with a cruel cost. She was alive two hours ago, and now she was not. The man was still able to pull himself together, even though he had lost the one he loved the most.

"However, I do not want the older one here in Lanayru Province. Take her to Eldin. I do not want two Princess Zeldas running around in Hyrule Castle City. It would raise questions, and I believe the public will already be stunned by the death of my wife," He looked over at the small woman he loved, her dark-maroon hair spilling over the pillowcase of the hospital bed. The flaxen-haired woman nodded respectfully.

"Your Majesty, now that Her Majesty is dead, I believe you must pass on the pendant to one of the daughters, to go along with tradition," The woman spoke, beginning to swaddle the eldest newborn in a simple green cotton blanket.

The pendant was a small circle, no bigger a diameter than three inches, composed of a metallic, periwinkle circle, a flower of the same material, and a small, teal gemstone in the center of the flower. It was said to have been worn by the sky goddess herself when she chose to become a mortal.

However, when the man reached for the sacred necklace, he saw a small flicker of gold from his wife's ankle. He took the pendant as the woman leaned down to inspect the late queen's foot.

"Well, what do you know?" The woman held up another necklace and took the pendant back from the king. It had a small cutout in the shape of a diamond, along with another cutout in the shape of three triangles. It was made of gold, ornamented with a small ruby, a small sapphire, and a small emerald along the outside rim. Between each gemstone, six tiny circles, each the size of the gemstones, were filled with an assortment of shapes.

"Your Majesty, your wife was in possession of the Princess of Destiny's pendant," The woman began, examining the Princess's pendant. "If you put the two in front of a light," The woman walked over to the only lamp in the dimly lit room, putting the Princess's pendant in front and slightly more upward than the other, "they create the sky goddess's crest." An image of what looked like a bird holding the three triangles projected along the white walls. The woman took the pendants back to the children.

"Of course we are giving the Princess's pendant to the one staying, right?" The man asked.

"If you wish, Your Majesty," The woman walked over to the man's youngest daughter and fastened the Princess's pendant on. The infant was already fast asleep. She walked back to the eldest twin and tied on the sky goddess's pendant. She noticed that the eldest twin's eyes, though identical to the other child's, looked far too knowing for her youthful age.

"May I say goodbye to her?" The man requested.

"Of course, Your Majesty," The woman gave the green-clad infant to the man.

"You will always be my Zeldas, regardless of where you roam," The man whispered to the small children, hugging them close to him. He might not ever be able to see the eldest girl ever again; one of the last two gifts, the most perfect, beautiful gifts, his wife had ever given to him. The man could feel his face getting warmer and his vision blurring as memories of his wife flooded his mind; her warm smile, her constant desire to help those in need, her love for the gentle waves the ocean brought forth as steadily as a heartbeat. His favorite ocean would no longer craft waves. Its heartbeat had expired.

Several tears escaped his eyes, landing on the pale, porcelain cheeks of the princess and the almost-princess. The woman took back the one wrapped in green, much to the man's dismay.

"Which family would you like this one to go to?" The woman changed the subject, wrapping a red sling over her torso and securing the baby to her back. She tossed her black parka over her right shoulder, waiting for a response as the man calmed himself down.

"The previous prime minister's cousin has a good family. Gaepora and Jaynessa Harlon, from Kakariko City. I trust them, but do not tell them anything. Say she was found on the streets."

"Yes, Your Highness. I will be back before sunrise tomorrow."

"Before sunrise? It takes two days to get to Kakariko City by train or car, and at least a week to get there on foot!" The man justified.

"Do not underestimate me, Your Majesty, for I am one of the Sheikah!"

The woman backed out of the hospital room and shut the large wooden door.

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**Yeah. Chapter 1 is coming soon, and by soon, I don't mean five months. I hope you enjoyed it!**

**-Ani**

_**Published May 2, 2012**_


	2. Chapter 1

**Hello! It's now time for Chapter 1, starring the lovely Zelda. ****Beta-read by the awesome LeilaEditer. Awesome. It was so awesome, I had to say _awesome_ five times in this small paragraph. Awesome.**

_**Answering reviews time! **_

**_misszelda3490_- You are _wayyyy_ too nice. And yes, it is based off of the Parent Trap, my favorite movie.**

_**Done answering reviews!**_

**Please review. Devote five minutes of your life to write a review here. I know you are lazy and don't want to, but everybody likes to get reviews. Please. It's not that hard.**

**I don't own the Legend of Zelda, insert more legal stuff here.**

**Enjoy!**

**-Ani**

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**Chapter 1 (The Maiden)**

"Wake up Zellie! Come out from under the sheets! You have to take me to school!" My eight-year-old sister shook the bed ferociously, desperately trying to rid me from my drowsy state-of-mind.

"Just a minute, Diana!" I roared, getting annoyed by the little girl's disruptive antics. "Besides, can't Mom or Jon drive you there?"

"Jon already left, and Mommy went to the supermarket! That's why you have to take me, Zelda!" Diana whined, her short brunette curls bouncing up and down like springs.

"Fine! Go get dressed and eat something!" I commanded, rising from the warm mattress.

My long, golden hair, the color of daffodils, making it a point of ridicule since kindergarten, fell into my grey eyes as I dragged myself towards the immaculately white curtains falling over my window. I stood there for a minute, letting the sun's gentle warmth fall upon my skin like a blanket fresh out of the dryer. Pivoting on my sock-covered heel, I walked over to the rustic, white wooden doors that composed my closet. After deciding on a large blue t-shirt and jeans, I tied my hair into its usual low ponytail with a black elastic.

Up the narrow hallway and down the dark pine stairs, Diana was sitting peacefully at the kitchen table, munching on some cereal.

"How do you eat that stuff? It's as hard as a rock!" I motioned towards the box of Goron Crunch sitting upon the oak table. "No pun intended!"

Diana only chuckled. I pulled my own personal cereal, Granolers, down from the cabinet and poured it into a bowl that Diana had already filled with soy milk.

"What time do you have to be there?" I inquired, my face filled with the lactose-intolerant-friendly milk and hard granola clusters.

"Seven-twenty!" Diana yelled, a pinch of anger hidden in her voice. She might look sweet, but the smallest things could get her angrier than the devil himself. If Diana hated anything more than the heat of Eldin Province, she absolutely abhorred even the mere thought of being late for anything.

"That's in ten minutes!" I glanced at the clock, spitting out the milk substitute. The short, straight bangs that seemed to have been plastered on my scalp for the past five minutes finally fell into their correct place on my forehead as I leaped for my bookbag. Pulling the thin straps of the heavy sack over my shoulders, I dragged Diana out the front door and down the sidewalk. Her arm stayed connected to mine despite that I was running as fast as I could.

Once we passed our shady, tree-filled lot, the large mountain in the distance became clear. Technically, it is called Mt. Eldin, but historians and scientists say that in the distant past, it was once an active volcano named, of course, Eldin Volcano. Many centuries later, after human inhabitation of the area, locals nicknamed it Death Mountain because whoever went up to its peak would have never been seen again. The volcano provided the extremely fertile soil we have in Eldin Province today, which is why Eldin Province is called the "agricultural capital of Hyrule" by many of our citizens. Nowadays, the summit of the ancient (and dormant) volcano is covered in snow and ice, and is surrounded by fields of crops and wildflowers. How cheerful.

As I was pulling Diana behind me, a gold sedan stopped right next to us. The back window rolled down. Instictivly, I pulled Diana away from the road.

"Do you Harlons need a ride?" A familiar voice asked. A girl with thick red hair spilling out from a high ponytail stepped out, her bony arms holding the door open.

"Malon?" I asked in shock.

"Yup, it's me!" She smiled. I ran over and gave her a hug.

"I thought you moved! Where have you been?" I interrogated as I pushed Diana into the car. I buckled into the middle seat with Diana on my left, my bulky bookbag in my lap, and my best friend on my right.

"We had to go all the way down to Mabe to get Marin and my uncle. They lost their house in a fire," Malon began slowly. "When we got back, my other uncle wasn't taking very good care of our horses. I had to fix all of the horse problems, and by myself, too! YOU GOOD-FOR-NOTHING COUSIN!" Malon shouted, wagging her finger at the seat in front of her.

"Oh, really? All you do is talk about those darn creatures! At least I live productively!" The girl in the front seat, who had the same shade of red hair and the same ponytail, turned around and pushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"Doing what? Singing at the pond?" Malon's face turned crimson.

"Mr. Thomas, aren't you going to do something?" I whispered to the corpulent, mustachioed man driving the car as Marin and Malon continued to bicker.

"I've tried, Miss Zelda. I've tried," Mr. Thomas sighed, keeping his tired eyes focused on the road.

In less than five minutes, we were already at the schools. Diana's elementary school was in the front, and my middle school was a three minute walk behind it.

"I'll take the little girl, Malon, since I'm more caring and responsible!" Marin took her hand in Diana's and began walking toward Potentia Elementary School. Her yellow sundress fluttered in the wind like a kite. Diana looked back at me with a terrified expression on her face. I wouldn't have blamed her.

Malon and I began to walk towards Mountain Gorge Middle School. I could see other students coming; some on buses, many in cars, a few on bikes, most walking, and one even on a horse. Everybody, even me and my nerd friends, was super excited that in less than forty-eight hours, summertime would officially begin.

"Are you excited for tonight, Zelon?" Malon teased, calling me by the nickname she gave me when we met in preschool. I wanted to have a "-lon" first name like her, so she started calling me Zelon.

"For the graduation?" I questioned. Malon nodded, her ponytail bobbing and bouncing like an apple in hot water. "No. I don't think it's fair that Principal Cole is making everybody dress up for tonight. I mean, isn't it just going from eighth grade up to ninth grade?"

"I hear you. We had to get Marin to make me a dress down in Mabe. It's been a pain in the neck!" Malon remarked.

"Hello, Earthlings," My other best friend walked up. She, a foreign exchange student, was going to stay here for five years.

"Hi, Midna," I drawled. She laughed, cocking her head at me, as if to ask a question. "What?"

"Why do you always do that every time you greet me?" She smoothed down the black veil she always wore on her head, and then the black dress. "You know, 'Hiiiiiiii Miiiiidnaaaaa...'" She mocked.

"I don't know. Why do you have yellow scleras?" I countered.

"Excuse me?"

"It's the white part of the eye, or in your case, yellow part."

"Okay, Zel, we both know that you are smart," Malon started.

"Since day one!" I interrupted. Malon glared at me.

"But that doesn't mean you can use fancy words like 'sclera', okay?" She finished. I pulled open one of the stupid, five-hundred pound glass doors leading into the atrium of the school. Malon and Midna waved goodbye to me as I stepped into my homeroom, Dr. Owlan's classroom.

"Hi, Zelda!" Orielle and Karane declared, waving to me excitingly as I set my heavy bookbag on the floor next to all the others.

"Guess what we're doing!" Orielle jogged over, her long, brunette braids shifting as she ran. Karane soon followed with her short, copper locks sticking out from underneath the olive green beanie she adored obsessively. These two were also some of my greatest friends, as we all met in kindergarten.

"We get to watch a movie for the entire day!" Karane's emerald eyes looked like they had been set ablaze with happiness.

"Cool! What's it about?" I asked, sitting on the floor with the other students.

"Dr. Owlan won't tell us," Orielle whimpered.

"Hiya!" Kina poked my back. Jumping slightly, I turned around. Her black hair was cut short, almost near her shoulders. She sat down between Karane and I.

"Apparently, we're watching a movie, but Dr. Owlan won't tell us what it is about," I explained. A concerned look spread across Kina's eyes.

"I'll go ask him," Kina paced over to the black desk sitting at the side of the room. In about a minute, she came back with a huge grin on plastered on her face.

"What is it about?" Karane asked.

"It's about the Ancient Goddesses and the Hero of Time!" Kina giggled.

"Aw, really? I was hoping for it to be about the Sky Era. That story is my favorite," Orielle sighed.

"Well, it's not like any of those stories really matter anyways. Nobody believes in the Ancient Goddesses anymore," I stated.

"Yup. Seriously, those people who believed in the goddesses were always stirring up trouble, trying to protect that Trident-thingy!" Karane justified.

"Tri_force_!" Kina corrected.

"They didn't even have Christmas!" Orielle admitted.

"They believed in only those stupid goddesses! Its like they had nothing else better to do!" I cringed. The three girls nodded in unison. Nowadays, believing in any sort of religion is considered almost laughable. Even the royal family is officially atheist.

"Okay, kids!" Dr. Owlan cleared his throat. "We're going to start the first half of the movie, then we will bring lunch in here, and then we'll watch the second half. You know the drill, little ninth-graders! No talking during the movie, m'kay?" He took a silver remote and turned on the VCR player. After a couple of static flashes, a title screen appeared.

"Pipit! Turn off the lights!" Dr. Owlan pointed to a pale boy with freckles and messy brown hair. Pipit got up to turn off the florescent lights shining down from the ceiling. The room was pitch black, all except for the bright projector screen displaying a historically-accurate moving picture.

In large, white Times New Roman letters, the words _Sages of the Sword_ flashed on the screen.

_Great,_ I thought. _It was made in the forties._

A cheery song began to play in the background. After a long set of beginning credits, the movie finally began. It started out with a little boy wearing a green... well... it _looked_ like a dress. He reminded me a lot of somebody from my elementary school years, but I couldn't quite grasp the name. Lynn, maybe? I sure hope his name wasn't Lynn. Maybe that's why he moved.

I kind of zoned out a lot during the first few scenes, but then the boy arrived in a small, marble courtyard.

"How did you get past the guards?" A young girl asked. Her head was turned towards a window, and covered by a white veil.

"I dunno," The boy replied quietly.

"I had this dream, and I saw a young boy in it. He was clad in green. Do you know of one who-" The girl turned around and gasped. People started laughing. The girl looked just like me, only about five years younger. Almost a carbon copy!

"You are the one in my dream!" She shrieked. If she says her name is Z- "My name is Princess Zelda!"

The laughter got even harder. It was a good thing it was extremely dark. Nobody could see my beet-red, embarrassed face. I couldn't even look up at the screen anymore.

It's been this way my whole life. I look a little bit like our nation's princess, and no one will give me a break about it. The best part? My parents just had to name me Zelda, the same name given to every girl born into the royal family since the seventh century. _How nice of them. _

I stuck my head further into my hands. It was going to be a long day.

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In six hours, I was on my extensive bus ride back home. We have to wind through a couple of farms, an apartment complex, and two neighborhoods before the bus gets me to my stop. Usually, it is very relaxing. When the windows are open, it produces a nice breeze that really cools things off. I also get a great view of Mt. Eldin along the way.

The bus finally yielded at my house, the final stop, where my mother was standing, ready to greet me. She was a petite, middle-aged woman with short blonde hair forever pulled up into a ponytail.

"Hey, Zels! How was school today? Are you excited for the graduation tonight?" Mom started ushering me to the front door. I stepped in and threw my bookbag on the floor. She held my hand, leading me through the foyer, living room, kitchen, hallway, and up the stairs. "Close your eyes, Zelda! I got you a surprise!" She revealed, excitement evident in her voice. Doing what I was told, I shut my eyes. We walked for a bit longer before stopping.

"Open your eyes!" Mom commanded. A sleeveless, high-collared, navy dress was sitting on my bed. From the looks of it, the dress appeared to maybe fall to about my knees. It had at least forty silver buttons going down the front. I didn't like dresses, but Principal Cole was requiring all girls to wear one. It looked high quality, and a dress that I would definitely wear if I was being forced to.

"Pipit's mother, Mallara, made it from scratch. I know you hate dresses, but I saw this pattern at Hy-Mart and knew you would be okay with it," Mom explained.

"It's really nice!" I replied.

"Well, get dressed, dear! We have to leave in fifteen minutes! Oh, and afterwards, we're going to that pizza place with the Sannons, the Thomases, the Gentrys, the Forners, and the Declans, high-schooler!" Mom left the room with a spring in her step. I shut the door behind her. After undressing, I put on a pair of cargo shorts to wear under the dress. I unbuttoned the dress and slid it over my shoulders.

After rebuttoning, I took out my ponytail. Keeping the hair down would have been too formal. After all, it's just a graduation ceremony. It's not like I'm getting a gold medal at the Olympics or anything. I decided to braid my hair. When I was finished, I tied it off with a small, white, satin ribbon.

As for shoes, I rummaged through my closet and found a pair of black Mary-Janes that I never knew I had owned.

My sixteen-year-old brother, Jonathon, knocked softly on the door. His short, tousled brown hair that I always used to laugh at when I was younger was now combed neatly on his head. The scariest part? He looked clean. Actually _clean_.

"Did you take a shower today?" I joked. Jon was always outside in the dirt, doing heaven knows what.

"Yes! I wouldn't be dirty for my little sister's graduation, now would I?" He laughed. "Anyways, everybody else is in the car. They're waiting for you."

"Okay! I'm coming!" I bolted out of my bedroom and down the stairs as Jon followed me.

"Did you get your anti-allergy stuff?" He asked, holding up a small red pouch containing my epinephrine injection syringes. I snatched the container from him. We headed to the garage.

The garage door was wide open, and Mom was sitting in the driver's seat. The bright headlights filled the small, two-car room with light as she backed out into the driveway. My father, a large, bald man with a rather strange unibrow and a rather ordinary mustache was sitting next to her, reading a book.

Jon and I walked out to the side door of the red minivan and opened it. Diana was sitting in the backseat, looking out the window. I plopped myself in a seat and fastened my seatbelt.

"Zelda, did you get your stuff? I don't want a repeat of that allergic reaction again!" Dad turned to look at me, pushing his glasses further up his nose.

"Daddy, I didn't know there were peanuts in it!" I retorted with a huff.

"It was a brownie!" Jon countered.

"I was four! How was I supposed to know they put peanuts in brownies?" I barked.

"How could you not kn-" Dad put his large hand in-between the two of us, interrupting Jon's argument.

"Enough. Zelda, do you have it or not?" Dad commanded.

"I have it."

"Thank you."

Mom pulled into the school's parking lot. We began walking towards the large, brick building. Looking behind me, I saw my parents trying to catch up with us.

"Zellie! Are you excited?" Diana asked.

"Of course!" I lied. I felt a small poke on my back that made me flinch.

"Heeellllloooooo, Zeeeellllldddaaaaa," I heard Midna drawl.

"Hiiiiiii, Miiiiiddddnnnaaaa," I tried to replicate.

"I guess I'll see you later at the ceremony!" Midna waved, still in the same black veil and gown as always, and began to run ahead to her host family, the Cannons. They were a small little family, consisting only of a husband, a wife, a child, and a toddler. Their son, Colin, used to play with my brother all the time before Jon's studies got too intense.

When we reached the door, a seventh-grader started handing out programs. Her nametag said _Agitha_.

"Hello, I'm Agitha. What's your last name?" She chirped politely. Mom and Dad had finally caught up to us as she spoke.

"Harlon, H-A-R-L-O-N," I asserted.

"And the name of your graduate?" She asked.

"Zelda Elizabeth."

"What a nice name!" She smiled. "Okay, I've circled your seats on this program. I hope you win lots of awards!" She handed me and my parents each a program printed on gold-colored cardstock. Our family walked into the school and into the left hallway. At the very end of it, we entered the cafeteria. Already many people were sitting inside. We took our seats that were, much to my dismay, in the front row, dead center. At least I wouldn't have much trouble getting up to the stage.

In about fifteen minutes, Principal Cole walked up to the stage. He was a squat, hefty man with bright red hair and a mustache.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." His voice echoed into the microphone. "You may already know me, but for those of you who do not, I am Principal Robert Cole. I am tremendously proud of your children's stellar achievements this year. Whether it be sports, academics, arts, or extracurricular activities, your children have made Mountain Gorge Middle School a better place for everyone. In fact, in the five years this school has existed, this class of eighth-graders had the lowest number of bullying reports."

Principal Cole paused as the audience clapped joyfully. A satisfied grin spread across his face.

"I would like you to hear a word from one of our Gifted teachers, Dr. Owlan," Principal Cole went to sit in a large chair on the stage as my teacher lifted himself up from one. My teacher, Dr. Owlan, was a tall, thin man with long, light-grey hair, usually worn in a ponytail.

"Hello. This year was one of my best at this school. The students and I had so much fun, and they were so polite and cooperative. Each one of them was an angel, and you don't see that very often in middle school!" He chuckled, and so did the audience. "I truly wish that I could follow them up on their way to Potentia High School, but the county would not allow that," He paused. "Each one of them had their strengths and their weaknesses, but their strengths were ones that I could only dream of having in another class; a speedy mathematician capable of almost trisecting an angle, a committed historian dedicated to discovering our country's rich past, a writer that could weave the most vivid words into stories like a threadist weaving a colorful robe. I wish you all the best lives fate can give, my little ninth-graders. And if the Ancient Goddesses truly did exist, I wish for them to watch over you."

I was stunned by his thoughtful speech. Several other teachers followed him with their own monologues, but none were as great as his. As soon as all seven teachers had finished, Principal Cole returned to the microphone.

"Thank you, educators of this glorious school. Now we shall truly begin this graduation. From Mrs. Digann's class, Caleb Allen!" Caleb walked up to the stage, shook the hands of Mrs. Digann and Principal Cole, received a certificate, and sat back down after a few photos. It was like this for every student for all six classes before us. I saw both Midna and Malon get their certificates, and I clapped very hard for both of them.

"Take it away, Dr. Owlan!" Principal Cole stepped away from the microphone as Dr. Owlan took his place. My stomach began to do gymnastics.

"Okay. Jessica Bennerson! Stritch Bowen! Kinanna Declan!" Dr. Owlan called as Jessica, Stritch, and Kina took to the stage. However, they didn't go away once they received their certificates, they stayed. Focusing my mind on something else, I began to clap hard for my Oriental, pumpkin-loving best friend.

"Leila Eirian! Orielle Forners! Karane Gentry!" I clapped even harder as my other best friends walked up, despite the flips my stomach was performing.

"Zelda Harlon! Karl James! Harold Martin!" I stood up and walked meekly towards the stage. It could have been my imagination, but the clapping got louder. But why? All this for the daughter of Potentia High School's best math teacher? I was only my timid, unimportant self, why would I get all of this recognition?

I walked over to Dr. Owlan. He handed me a certificate, and I stood between Karane and Karl.

"Xavier Penney! Groose Powell! Mallica Rice!" The clapping got louder at the mention of Mallica's name.

"Pipit Sannon! Angela Tannerson! Fledge Verrian!"

"And lastly, Cawlin Wentley!" He paused, allowing Cawlin to receive his certificate. "Now, all of these students did exceptionally well, but we have two students that fulfilled the requirements for an Educator's Honor Award!" Dr. Owlan exclaimed, holding up two trophies. I could not see the fronts, but both were at least a foot tall and had gold apples at the tops. "Now, in order to receive an Educator's Honor Award, the student must have kept above a ninety-five average in an academic division; either Humanities, Language Arts and Social Studies, or Mathematics, Math and Science; for all three years at our middle school."

Orielle was really good at Language Arts, so it was most likely her winning the Humanities.

"The winner of the Educator's Honor Award in the Mathematics Division is-" Dr. Owlan paused, "Mallica Rice!" Mallica walked forward to Dr. Owlan's left. He handed her the trophy, and many people began to take her picture. The crowd was ecstatic.

"And also, the winner of the Educator's Honor Award in the Humanities Division is-" Dr. Owlan paused yet again. I was anticipating Orielle's achiement. My eyes were shut tight and my fists clenched hard until I heard the most shocking words of the day.

"Zelda Harlon!" My eyes burst open in shock as I began to walk forward to Dr. Owlan's right. I could feel my cheeks beginning to burn an uncomfortable maroon. The crowd went psychotic. I didn't even deserve this award, yet Dr. Owlan shoved the golden trophy into my frail arms. I thought back to my report cards over the years. The only things less that ninety-fives were in math...

A smile burst on my face. At least that explained the louder clapping. I could see my parents taking pictures and my siblings clapping like maniacs. Only in my wildest dreams would I have imagined myself standing here, getting enough applause to make my ears explode. Despite the volume, I was on something I wouldn't be able to remove for the next few days. I was on a success high.

* * *

I walked into Mountainside Pizza holding hands with Diana. Karane, Kina, Orielle, Malon, Marin, and Pipit were following us, and behind them were the rest of their families. Standing behind the counter was Candice, Jon's girlfriend. Her curly red hair was pulled up into a ponytail today.

"Hi, Zelda! Hi, Diana! How many people today?" She chimed, as alert as bird despite the late time of night. I began to count up in my head.

_Let's see. We have our family, five. Add Orielle's to get seven, and Malon's makes it ten. Pipit's family and Kina's family made it fourteen, and Karane's huge family totaled it to twenty-one. _

"Twenty-one."

Candice's face went from happy to confused.

"Well, we only have room for twenty-four, but okay. Each booth seats six." Candice pointed to the four booths behind her. When the rest of the family entered, the parents were motioned into one booth, the siblings into another. My friends and I filed into the last booth. I heard Mrs. Gentry ordering three large cheese pizzas. My excitement bubbled over. A grin was permanently etched on my face.

"Congrats, Zelda," Pipit commented. I nodded curtly as a thank you.

"Yeah, you totally deserved it, Zel!" Kina smiled.

"I'm so proud of you!" Karane congratulated.

"Thank you," I mumbled, trying to be modest.

A few minutes passed before Candice gave us our pizza.

"You are so ungrateful, Malon! Say thank you to her!" Marin scolded.

"Really? Me, ungrateful? Says the girl who has enough fabric back home to cover the entire province! That's a bit greedy, don't you think?" Malon scoffed.

"Whatever. I won't stand for this discrimination!" Marin got up and sat with the siblings. Karane let out a small chuckle.

We all dove for the warm pizza sitting in the center of the wooden table. I put a slice on my plate. Digging into the warm, cheesy goodness that was the best pizza in my small hometown of Potentia, a strange feeling engulfed my mind. However, once I had finished my meal, the feeling was gone.

As all the others were chatting outside, I sat in the car with Diana. She was playing a video game, completely separated from what was going outside of the dimly-lit van. Finally, my parents and brother got into the car after a conversation that seemed to last forever. I was tired, confused, and elated, all at the same time.

I was just going to rest my mind for a minute. I laid my head down upon the leather armrest of my seat.

* * *

Softly, I rubbed my eyes. Sunlight streamed through my window, no longer covered by a set of thin, starched white curtains. I was on my bed, still wearing the navy-colored dress from last night's graduation. Turning my head, I saw my trophy sitting atop my bookshelf. I cracked a slight smile.

After getting dressed and eating breakfast, the bus took me to school.

_This is the last time,_ I thought. _The very last time I will come here on my own._

After getting off, the heat of late May slapped me in the face. Quickly, I shuffled through the crowds of sweaty middle schoolers and made it inside the air-conditioned building.

The day went by much faster than the day before. As it always had been for the last week, we watched another movie. However, the movie was finished long before the day was done.

"Okay, kids! We are going to do yearbook signings in the gym! Make sure you have a pen and your yearbook!" Dr. Owlan declared. All sixteen students in our room lunged for their bookbags. I shuffled through mine and found a pen. My yearbook was sitting in my bookbag, still wrapped in plastic from when I got it. I didn't remember even putting it in there!

_Thanks, Mom. _

Our class filed into a line and walked down into the gym. All grade levels were in there, chatting and signing empty pages alongside their friends. I felt a slight tug on my sleeve.

"Hi, Zelda! It's me, from last night! Would you sign my yearbook?" Agitha asked, her blonde pigtails bobbing with excitement. Even though she was a seventh grader, she looked and talked much younger than her age.

"Sure!" I paused. "Wait, how old are you?"

"I'm eleven. I skipped first grade and kindergarten," She mumbled, slightly embarrassed.

"Wow! You must be really smart!" A smile grew on Agitha's face.

"Thank you!" She spoke softly.

I wrote a little message on one of the blank pages of her book and handed it back to her. When she read it, an even bigger smile erupted on her face.

"You're really nice! Thank you so much!" She exclaimed, skipping back to the seventh grade group. A grin took over my face, too.

"Heeellllooooo, Zeeeellllddaaa."

"Hiiiiiii, Miiiidddnnnaaa."

I shoved my book in front of her and took hers out of her arms. I flipped to another blank page and wrote _Hiiiiiii, Miiiiiiiidddddnnnnnaaaa_ in large letters. We switched books back and I walked over to Malon and Marin.

"Would you two sign my book?" The two redheads gave their books to me as I handed them mine. They signed it without a word being spoken, and then walked away.

"That was weird," I mumbled to myself.

Dr. Owlan led us back up to the classroom.

"You all heard my speech last night, correct?" He asked, the room silent as every student nodded their heads, including me. "I wish for you all to have the most successful lives possible. You have been my best students in all the twenty years I have been teaching. And, as I said last night, if the Ancient Goddesses really do exist, I wish for them to watch over, guide, and protect you. Good luck in high school, little ninth-graders."

Dr. Owlan opened the door. We left the classroom and towards the buses waiting outside the atrium.

The heavy glass doors I had hated for three years were no longer heavy. The scowls of the teachers assigned to bus duty were replaced by welcoming smiles. It seemed as if everything that had been horribly wrong for three entire years was now fixed, right as I walked back into the scalding heat of an early Eldin Province summer.

I would miss this place.

* * *

**Dramatic ending! Da dun duh! **

**Zelda's last name is a tribute to Harlan Twible, a man who survived the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis in 1945. I love WWII stuff! I'm sure he'd love to be commemorated through a Zelda fanfiction (Kappa?). ****Oh, and Zelda's graduation dress was based off of one at Coldwater Creek, and Midna is dressed like a Muslim, just FYI, and not trying to be offensive. This chapter was kind of boring, but Chapter 2 has some EPIC action in it!**

**I hope you enjoyed it! Chapter 2 will be coming soon!**

**-Ani**

_**Published May 10, 2012.**_


	3. Chapter 2

**Hi! Welcome to Chapter 2, starring the graceful princess of Hyrule! This won't be as boring as Chapter 1, I promise! Oh, and I'm sorry for the wait!**

**Please review. You like getting reviews, too! I know that there are about 30 people who have read this that have yet to review! I'll check out your stories if you do!**

**Oh, and I don't own the Legend of Zelda. If I did, then there would be elephants in every game!**

**Beta-read by LeilaEditer!**

**-Ani**

* * *

**Chapter 2 (The Princess)**

My mud-covered feet tapped lightly on the marble flooring of the vast corridor. The green jersey basketball shorts reaching my knees and the grey t-shirt I was wearing were both soaking wet from the sudden thunderstorm that had occurred just recently outside. I love playing soccer, but playing it in the rain just wasn't as fun.

"Tetra?" My caretaker inquired.

My real name wasn't actually Tetra. In each division of my family, each person is given a codename for protection and anonymity against the Gerudans. For my immediate family, the Service of Guardians decided to use numerical prefixes. My father is Unum, my older brother, Matthew, is called Trio, and I'm known as Tetra. If my late mother was still alive, they'd probably call her Dua, because she was the second person to join the family. However, I still call my brother Matthew and my father Papa. Only Impa, Matt, and Papa called me Tetra to my face. I don't know why they couldn't just call me Zelda.

"Your Highness?" She demanded, her deep voice getting more shrill.

"Yes, Impa? I apologize for ignoring you. I was thinking," I replied, my voice drenched in faux sweetness and femininity, the way I was required to speak most of the time, at least when the Hyrule Castle soldiers were watching me. If I was doing something they deemed improper, they would tell my father about it, and he would ban me from playing soccer.

"Your Highness, I think the housekeeping staff would prefer you to clean your feet soon. Remember you must meet with the seamstresses, the speech writers, and your father at ten this morning," Impa explained, walking a constant two feet behind me.

"Yes. I'm going to go to my bedroom to change. Will I have to wear a dress today?" I asked.

"Your father would prefer you to," Impa sighed.

"Well, that's settled, then," I cringed. Wearing dresses was not the epitome of comfort for me. I preferred wearing pants.

When we reached the elevators, Impa pressed the up button, and the doors on the slid open wide. We stepped in while the doorman pressed the button for the third floor.

I wasn't too fond of elevators. I had read somewhere that they could crash into the floorboards, or even catch on fire. However, Impa had always assured me that the elevators here were the safest ones in all of Hyrule. Sometimes I didn't believe her.

The elevator stopped smoothly and the doors glided open silently on the third floor. We walked into another large corridor with candor marble flooring. Turning sharply to the left, we paced down to where my bedroom was, guarded by two Hyrule Castle soldiers, each armed with a sword, a pistol, and a rifle.

"Good morning, Your Highness. How was your soccer game?" One asked, still looking straight ahead at the dark hallway. Eye contact directed at members of the Royal Family is considered a threat, and only the Service of Gardians and other family members were legally allowed to look us in the eyes.

"It was delightful, except for the rain."

"Well, without the Ancient Goddess of Wisdom's rain, the Ancient Goddess of Courage's life would not be able to thrive, Your Highness. Be thankful for the gifts of the Ancient Goddesses, regardless of how small they might be."

"Thank you, Mister Eagus. Without you and your father's preaching of the words of the Ancient Goddesses, our family _would_ truly be atheist. May the Sky Goddess watch over you."

"May the Sky Goddess watch over you, too."

According to the public, our family was atheist. However, we secretly worship the Ancient Goddesses of Hyrule. For centuries, the sacred relic of the goddesses was fought over by the Tribes of Good and the Tribes of Chaos. Eventually, people stopped caring and the sacred relic was sent far away to be destroyed. The people who believed it was gone were known as atheists, and the people who believed it was still here were called worshippers. The atheists' followers grew and grew until nobody believed in the goddesses or the relic anymore, except for the royal family and their staff. Our state as worshippers has been hidden for years.

The soldiers stepped aside, allowing Impa and I into the bedroom. After going through the three sets of double doors that my father had installed for protection, we were finally in the vast room. Impa ushered me through my quarters and down a small hallway.

"When you are finished, I will be waiting right here," Impa opened the double doors leading to my bathroom. I walked in, and she shut the doors behind me.

My bathroom was only half the size of my bedroom. It had marble floors and dark fuchsia curtains, just like my sleeping area. It held a large bathtub, roughly the size of my bed, three capacious vanities, and an immense shower with some of the best water pressure I've ever experienced.

After showering and putting on my robe (a fluffy, white one with an embroidered Z on the pockets, at that), I walked into my spacious closet. I wandered around the maze for a while, looking at purple and white dresses, pink and lavender dresses, even blue dresses, before stopping at one. It was a red, rather flowy and baggy, short sleeved dress that fell to my ankles, something great to wear on a windy, May morning like today.

I took a brush and started fixing my hair. It was a golden color, the hue of a sunflower. My father forbids me from cutting it, so it falls down to about my mid-thighs. Usually, I wear it in a long braid, but my father probably wants me to look presentable. I parted it a little farther from the middle, causing a sweep-like arc of hair. Then, I separated the sections in front of my ears, just like the seventy-eight Princess Zeldas before me.

I glanced at my necklace. It looked strange, but it was said to be my mother's. Impa told me it was made of pure, twenty-four carat gold. It also had a genuine ruby, sapphire, and emerald. However, there was something odd about it. I couldn't take it off, or it would incase itself in a pale pink light. Even if water touched it, or if I accidentally spilled soup on it, that light would appear for a few seconds. When I was younger, my brother said that I would just stare at it for hours. Instead of wearing it under my shirt like I usually did, I left it above my shirt. I left my feet bare; after all, this was my house.

I knocked softly on the door, and opened it. Impa was waiting patiently.

"I'm so sorry for taking so long," I mumbled. Impa looked at my necklace and frowned.

"Keep that pendant underneath your shirt, always," She paused for a moment. "Your Highness, the meeting begins in ten minutes."

I nodded curtly as Impa led me out of my bedroom.

* * *

I entered my bedroom after the meeting, instantly noticing that the thunderstorm was still raging on. The room was lit somewhat dimly, but enough to see. A fireplace to my right crackled with flames. Sitting down at my mahogany desk, I opened the silver laptop lying upon it. A website was up, one that I had never seen before.

I began to read the green, point twelve-sized font. Pictures of rustic, wooden cabins, crystal clear lakes, and coniferous forests dotted in between long, wordy paragraphs. Images of teenage girls smiling, rowing kayaks and canoes, and riding horses were pictured, too. I longed for their happiness and freedom.

Apparently, it was about a camp in Faron Province, exclusively for girls. I had always been kept up in Hyrule Castle City, and this place looked like a holy sanctuary.

"Impa?" I called my caretaker. Looking up from her newspaper, _Lanayru Today_, she jogged over.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Look at this, Impa!"

Impa began reading the forest-green website. Her face morphed from a concerned frown to a disgusted scowl.

"Your Highness, you are kidding with me, right? You don't actually want to go, right?"

"Well," I glanced over at the screen. "Camp Faron does look interesting, and I hate this city! I want to explore the world! You can't just keep me up in this castle all year!"

"Your Highness, I would love to let you go, but I am afraid your father would disprove."

"Why?"

Impa's crimson eyes widened, biting down on her blue lips for a nanosecond. She has never acted like this before, almost as if a mask slipped down from her face. However, before I could blink, the mask was pushed back up.

"It is much too dangerous to go alone, and you would be recognized so easily."

"True, but I'm sure we could work around the looks problem! You know I love costumes!"

"Before proceeding, we should ask your father at dinner. Do not get your hopes up, Tetra! There is a very high chance he will say no!" Impa nagged, almost motherly. I let out a small sigh, too quiet for even myself to hear clearly. I needed to go. Something was telling me to go.

I bowed my head and clasped my hands together. I prayed to the Ancient Goddesses to let me go there. I just couldn't live my life in this castle! I mean, every person needs to get away and go somewhere! Maybe Camp Faron was my chance to leave this sullen, dull life, if only for a few weeks.

* * *

I sipped the scalding hot soup at the large, mahogany table. It was the shape of a triangle, custom made for us when my mother died in the horrible car accident right after I was born. I always sat on the left side, my brother on the right, and my father at the top. It was the way it had always been.

"Tetra, are you excited for the Olympics?" My father asked, his deep voice bellowing through the large, bright dining hall overlooking the castle gardens.

"Yes, Papa, I am."

"You know that the ceremonies are going to feature the Ancient Goddesses? First time in five hundred years they'll be mentioned publicly!" He laughed heavily, his voice echoing in the room.

"Really?" Mattie asked, his voice dull and uncaring.

"Yes! And you, Tetra, will get to play one of our family heirlooms at the Opening Ceremony! Isn't that exciting?"

"Which one?"

"The ancient Maiden of Spirit's harp! It hasn't aged at all!"

"Really?" I said flatly.

"Yup! That Sky Goddess was a genius!"

I facepalmed.

"How has that thing not aged? It's five thousand years old!" I snorted.

"Zelda Augustine Elandra, disrespect for me and the Ancient Goddesses won't get you very far."

"Yessir."

I stared at the murky, yellow soup for a few seconds. I almost opened my mouth to speak, but my heart began thumping like a drum. I wiped my clammy hands on the red, satin gown. I had to ask him. I just had to.

"Papa?" I spoke, my voice wavering like a flag.

"Yes, Tetra?" Papa asked, somewhat concerned.

"Papa, I was looking at my computer today, and there was a website about a camp in Faron Province, and I'd like to g-"

"Tetra, what have I told you about leaving Hyrule Castle City?" He interrupted sharply, his voice moving from carefree father to demanding monarch.

"I can't, but this is my chance to experience the real world and I just wa-"

"You can't go, Tetra! They'll recognize you!" Papa interrupted again, his voice now like a whining puppy.

"But Papa! Impa and I can make disguises!" I justified, throwing my spoon down onto the perfect, ivory tablecloth embroidered with gold threads.

His face softened a little bit.

"Fine. You may go," He sighed, placing his spoon softly on the table. I glanced over at Mattie. His chocolate eyes were huge in shock.

"How come I never get to do anything like that?" He yelled, pricks of anger exploding from his voice.

"Matthew, you get to be king. She will never get that chance!" Papa countered. Mattie stormed up from the table and left towards the right wing, where his bedroom was. I refocused on my victory. I was going to go. I'm going to Camp Faron. I get to leave this stuffy palace for three and a half entire weeks! I wanted to squeal like a fan girl at the moment, but I restrained myself. Instead, I smiled from ear to ear, bearing my teeth.

"Thank you so much, Papa!" I grinned.

"Your disguise must be very convincing, but let's save that for another day. Tetra, I also want you to stay safe over there. You won't have Impa to watch over you."

"I know!" I leaped up from the table and ran outside the doors.

"What did he say?" Impa asked, beginning to walk behind me as she usually did.

"He said yes!" I squealed with euphoria. "Can you imagine it, Impa? It will be so nice to be a regular person for three and a half weeks!"

"That is great, Your Highness," Impa curled her blue lips into a weak smile- an actual smile. I never knew she could. It felt like a dream, everything was so strange. It was like an alternate reality: a place where Impa smiles, Mattie is jealous of me instead of the other way around, and I get to go outside of Hyrule Castle City. I think I like this place.

* * *

I sat up in my large, soft bed. Darkness lingered around me in the huge room, despite the few nightlights arranged along the walls. I hopped out of the bed, my long sleeved, purple nightgown falling to my knees. My long, sunflower hair spilled out of the poorly made bun on the top of my head as I walked towards my pair of rich brown, leather hiking boots. I fastened them on, and went towards the balcony.

As I opened the glass doors, a gust of cool, midnight air swept across my ivory-colored face. The marble veranda looked over my favorite part of home: the Hyrule Castle Gardens. I walked down the deck before reaching a large section of vines. I gripped my small, manicured hands on the green foliage, and started descending towards the grassy landing.

My feet landed firmly on the ground, and I began running along the cobblestone paths. I had only done this twice; once when I was six and once when I was ten. Now that it was exactly a month after my birthday, my fourteenth birthday, had passed, it was time for me to do this again.

I never truly knew why I did this. It seemed that there was a mysterious, driving force behind it, but it was hard to put my finger on exactly what it was. So, I did it anyways.  
I first picked a rare green peony blossom from a bush. I held the fragile flower in my hands as I started walking towards the left side of the garden. I glanced up at the sky. The clouds were gone, and every star could be seen. Each one twinkled with light, shining down upon our small earth with happiness.

I added a blue iris to the other flower. It was also rather rare, as were all the flowers in the gardens. After walking past some trees, I could see a beautiful full moon, filling the garden with light. Ever since I was small, I had loved the moon. It had always shined with silver, ivory light that I still cherish. It was much more relaxing than the harsh, heated golden light of a summer sun beating forcefully down your neck.

I looked underneath a few leaves of a small plant and saw a red crown imperial blossom. I started walking towards the grassy field in the center of the gardens, but stopped at a small, lilac-tinted (but mostly white) lily. I added the flower to my collection. With all four blossoms in hand, I began to run towards a large fountain in the center of the park.

I stood in front of the marble and gold waterworks. On the left side, I placed the iris into the crystalline water. I looked up at the Ancient Goddess of Wisdom's statue, also on the left. It displayed her with long waves of hair parted to the side, a few pieces sticking out. Her one-shouldered dress fell softly over her delicate frame. In her hands, she held a vase, pouring out with water made of sapphires. She looked like she was concerned about something. I bowed my head respectfully and began to say her prayer.

"Oh great one, Ancient Goddess of Wisdom, enlighten me with your holy judgment. Teach me the ways of your world, quench my thirst for knowledge with your knowing waters. In your name, I pray."

Her statue began to glow a deep blue, and my necklace started glowing its usual pink. I then placed the crown imperial into the water in the center.

I looked up at the next one, the mighty Ancient Goddess of Power. She had pin-straight hair pulled up into a high, long ponytail, a few chin-length sections in the front, framing her masculine, determined face. A high collared dress with two, detached, flowing sleeves captured her image perfectly. In her hands, she held a torch lit with ruby flames. I bowed my head again.

"Oh great one, Ancient Goddess of Power, lift me higher with your strong, flaming arms. Gift me your holy strength, allow me to fight for my will and morals with your commanding flames. In your name, I pray."

The statue began to glow an eerie maroon. My necklace began to glow brighter. I set the peony on the right side of the other flowers. I looked at the third statue, the Ancient Goddess of Courage.

Her hair was made of thick curls reaching her shoulders, parted in the middle. A long braid could be seen from the back. Her dress had a scooped neckline with puffed sleeves. The tiny marble hands of the statue tightly clutched a lattice with vines made of emeralds. The statue looked depressed. I bowed my head yet again.

"Oh great one, Ancient Goddess of Courage, offer me your divine bravery. Show me the likeness of true courage, tell me of the allowance of fear with your valor-filled leaves. In your name, I pray."

Her statue began to glow a forest-green, and my necklace shined even brighter. I placed the lily into the water.

I glanced at the statue of the Ancient Goddess of Protection. She had a plethora of names, including Her Grace, the Ancient Goddess of the Sky, and the Sky Goddess, but the Ancient Goddess of Protection was the standard and most respectful in Hyrule Castle.

She had wings made of diamonds and sapphires. A short veil covered the back of her face, along with a floating crown made of seven points. She was sitting down in the water, unlike the other goddesses, who were standing. Her long sleeved arms gripped on the hilt of a golden sword and edge of a bronze harp. For this one, I got on my knees and bowed my head for one last time.

"Oh great, forgotten one, Ancient Goddess of Protection, shield me from the evils of this cruel world. Lift my spirit higher with the all-knowing wisdom, the selfless courage, and the disciplined power of your sacred sisters. Unite this spiritless land with your heavenly love. In your name, I pray."

The final goddess's statue began glowing indigo. A ring of foliage began growing around the edge of the fountain, but was quickly eaten by flames. A gush of water silenced the crackling embers, and the ash disappeared in a puff of clouds. Color began filling the statues' marble forms.

A sudden, stifling yawn made me jump slightly. I whipped my head around, but nobody was there.

"Do not be scared, princess," A soothing voice reassured. Slowly, I turned my head back around. I almost screamed; I didn't remember this happening last time. "Nobody can see you right now."

The statues were not only filled with color, but they were _moving_. The Ancient Goddess of Courage waved at me. _The Ancient Goddess of Courage just waved at me. _Quickly, I bowed at her.

"Good evening, Your Superiority," I muttered.

"Oh _hell_ no!" My eyes darted towards the Ancient Goddess of Power. Her crimson locks looked as if they had been set ablaze. The goddess's skin was darker than the others, and I could see her muscles ripple as she put her hands on her hips. The beautiful, silken white gown she was wearing was tinted with hints of gold and red. On the dress's left-sided, peach-colored banner, several small pieces of red light shone brightly. "Like we haven't heard that for two million years! Enough with the 'Ancient Goddess of Blah Blah Blah' stuff! We have names! The green one's Farore, the blue one's Nayru, the crying one is Hylia, and I'm Din. Can ya' stick with that, child?" She sassed.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"We see that you are no longer a small child, but a grown child. You are old enough to hear our words," Nayru announced poetically. Her navy-hued waves fluttering in the soft breeze reminded me of what the ocean looked like in all the pictures. I had always wanted to see the ocean for myself.

Her gown had one sleeve made of sheer, see-through silk. The dress was ornamented with hints of gold and blue, and a periwinkle center banner also had segments of strange, blue light, like Din's left banner.

"Today we will give you five warnings and five gifts," Farore whispered in the same poetic tone. Her long, olive green braid also wavered in the gusts. She had a diagonal banner with the green lights.

"Heed our words," Hylia's eyes darted up. The second she looked at me, I could see all the pain in the world bleeding from her murky grey eyes, lashes and cheeks wet with tears. She didn't look a thing like the others. She appeared to be only fifteen years old, but her depressed eyes told me she had seen everything. She had straight bangs, and two long sections next to them that went to her knees. However, the rest of her hair stopped at her shoulders. At the scalp it was light brown, but progressively got more blonde with length. Her gown glowed an unnatural light, ornamented with sections of silver, teal, indigo, and lilac. Hylia hugged her sword and harp close to her chest.

"Be careful who you choose to trust," Nayru began, strumming a blue and red harp.

"Do not forget your identity, for it will be stolen by one you hold dear," Din added, beginning to chant softly. My hands started to get sweaty.

"Heed the advice of the one on horseback, for they will show you the way," Farore muttered.

"Your greatest wish may be to return to the past," Hylia strummed her golden harp. The goddesses began playing a song that seemed familiar, but I couldn't tell what it was. Suddenly, It came to an abrupt halt. My heart began to beat loudly.

"A great apocalypse will incur, but you will not see it clearly, a fatal flaw of your naive age!" All of the goddesses spoke firmly, their cerulean, maroon, forest, and grey irises all burning into my horrified ones.

"Here are your gifts. Do not use them until you know when to."

My heart was now a bass drum, pumping adrenaline through my veins like no tomorrow. My clammy hands, once holding tightly on the marble edge, slipped as I fell down onto the rough cobblestone. I weakly pushed myself back up and watched the deities.

Each goddess held a larger form of the small lights on their banners; blue, red, green, and an odd indigo-teal. Each one started to infuse itself into each other, creating one giant, pale pink light, and another giant, pale indigo light. The pink one collided with my necklace, and the indigo one flew elsewhere. I had seen too much. Way too much.

With their ritual done, Din took Nayru's vase and started to drink out of it. As Nayru snatched the vase back, Din spit out the water furiously.

"This is scalding hot!" She screamed.

"Well, I can't help it that everything you touch with your hands catches on fire! Has 'strong, flaming arms' ever gotten to your mind, muttonhead?" Nayru contended.

"I thought that was a figure of speech!" Din yelled in protest. Hylia sighed as the two fought.

"Can I ask a question?" I asked, shaking like a leaf.

"Of course, princess!" Farore smiled.

"Am I a chosen one? Is Hyrule threatened?" My voice spoke in fast, worried tone. I didn't talk like this, ever.

"You will find out in time," Hylia exhaled.

"I need to know now! I need to know _now_!" I yelled.

"We will see you again soon, princess," Farore muttered. They started returning to their original positions.

"Wait! I still have more to ask!" I shouted, the colors fading.

I was shaking furiously, my hands clasped onto the marble edge of the fountain. I felt a sharp bite in my legs and warm water running down my shins, but I didn't care.

"Please! Hylia! Din! Anybody! Help me!" I wailed. I was going to die. The Ancient Goddesses just told me that somebody will take my place and I will die before my next birthday.

I looked down at my wet legs to examine the annoying water and bite. It wasn't water, and there wasn't a bite. I had been shot while I was with the goddesses!

I started running around the gardens, screaming bloody murder, literally. My right leg hurt with every step, the bullet piercing my bone.

"Somebody help me!" I cried as loud as I could. I heard a gunshot and turned along another path, but fate was not on my side. My feet flew out from under me as I ran, and another "bite" scraped my left leg, making me scream louder than I never knew I could.

"Impa!" I screamed. I started running towards the castle, but I just couldn't make it, but I couldn't lose this battle. I needed to live.

"Impa! Eagus!" I screamed again, forcing myself onwards. I heard another gunshot and screamed. Nobody was coming to save me. I was going to die, just like the goddesses said I would! The third bullet hit me in the thigh, crippling me as I fell to the ground. My nightgown was soaked with blood, as were my legs.

_This is it,_ I thought. _Just like Mama died- unnecessarily. _

I tumbled into the grass, lying in a pool of my own blood.

"Somebody save me!" I yelled, my voice cracking with terror.

Terror.

I just got shot by terrorists! But the only country we have bad relations with we've fixed, unless... Either way, now wasn't a time for thinking. It was a time for action.

"Help!" I wailed. I tried to get up again, but the pain was searing. I began limping towards the fountain when I heard a fourth shot. I screamed again. I started hearing more gunshots and yells. My legs were bleeding horribly. Another bullet hit my right calf. I bit down on my lips so hard it began to bleed, my fists clenched so tightly as I flew backwards. I didn't know how much more of this I could take.

"MAMA!" I shrieked, piercing the silent, midnight air with my sharp cries of pain. I could feel myself falling backwards, into the hard earth below me. This can't be happening to me! This has to be just a dream! How could they not hear me yell?

I hit the hard stone with a thud. My head began throbbing wildly. I could feel the vibrations of footsteps coming near me.

_Here they come, coming to get their prize._

Arms went under my head and knees, lifting me up into the air as the person began running.

"Don't take me!" I yelled furiously. "Don't finish me off!" I started crying.

"Your Highness! You are fine! It's me, Impa! You're going to live! Please calm down!" Impa screamed, her voice frantic and worried. She carried me, running extremely fast.

Everything was looking blurrier. I shut my eyes for just a second, and opened them again. I felt very tired, and my legs were in awful pain.

"Tetra, do not fall asleep!" She yelled, now out of the gardens and running through the castle's woodlands. I could hear the faint sound of sirens in the distance. They were getting closer and closer. I shut my eyes again. Impa shook me violently.

"Don't close your eyes!" She screamed in a tone I had never heard her use. It was caring, fragile, almost motherly, yet frantic at the same time. Maybe she did have a soul under the rough-and-tough Sheikah surface. "I'm not going to lose you too!"

"I don't think I can, Impa! I'm sleepy!" I muttered.

"Try, Tetra! For your mother!" She yelled in the same tone. The sirens were getting louder. I could barely see.

The last few threads of consciousness were breaking. When the sirens were at their loudest, I closed my eyes yet again.

"Don't close your eyes! Don't close your eyes! You'll be alright!" Impa yelled, placing me into the back on an ambulance. I tried to keep my eyes open, but I couldn't. I wasn't going to be alright. The started to fade, but I could still hear Impa.

She sobbed, shrieking and shaking me, "ZELDA!"

* * *

**Bam! There's Chapter 2 for ya', people! I hope you enjoyed! Chapter 3 is coming soon! I love exclamation marks!**

**-Ani**

_**Published May 23, 2012.**_


	4. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the delay again! I just CANNOT miss E3 for the life of me, even though this year's made me want to crawl into a corner and cry in shame.**

** This chapter stars everybody's favorite, Zelda Harlon! Yay! **

**HUGE _Reality_ reference in this one. You should probably read at least the prologue to get that part.**

**I don't own Zelda! I don't own the song _This Is Your Life_!**

**Beta-read by the amazing LeilaEditer! Oh, and I recommend _Crown of Ages_ by Flute Chick. The beginning's rough, but it gets better with each chapter. **

**Don't be scared to comment/review! I don't bite... sometimes... **

**-Ani**

* * *

**Chapter 3 (The Maiden)**

Sweat rolled down the back of my neck as I sat in the cool, refreshing shade of a pavilion on the Thomas Family's farm. Diana was behind me, using a large loom to weave an intricate cloth with Marin and Midna. Malon and Orielle were lying on the floor, their hair plastered underneath worn-out baseball caps. Jon and Nathan and Darrell, Karane's older brothers, were playing cards. Karane, Pipit, Kina, and Karane's younger siblings, William and Grace, were sitting on a bench, panting. Everyone was drinking water, trying to prevent themselves from succumbing to the forceful Eldin heat.

I looked at the sweatstains on my denim overalls, the same ones everyone was wearing, except for Marin and Midna, of course. I frowned at how Mr. Thomas obligated us into farming for him each summer.

"When are we going to start plowing again?" Pipit asked, pointing to a large, green machine.

"In about fifteen minutes," Malon sighed. "We still need to irrigate the half of the fields we have already planted."

Orielle groaned.

"Hey! It's either that or the cows, and those cows are ferocious!" Karane yipped.

"I suggest we get started before noon," Nathan commented, taking off his baseball hat to ventilate his head.

"Yeah," Kina agreed. "We can irrigate later."

I stood up and walked towards my plowing "team", Jon, Kina, and I. The other groups, Malon, Karane, and Nathan, and Pipit, Orielle, and Darrell, already started walking towards their machines. We walked through the muddy corn fields, finally reaching our green Case IH plow, imported from a faraway country. Jon got in on the right side, claiming it was unsafe for us to walk over there. The driver's door swung open, and Kina and I climbed the steep steps to the seating area on the right. We buckled in, and began to plow.

The wind whipped my yellow braid and Kina's short, chocolate ponytail around wildly. Our job was to look and make sure everything was working right, and that the soil was turning over properly, waiting to be planted. And this was the easiest part.

We did this for about an hour, until our entire section was plowed. Now, it was time for the backbreaking work- literally. We had to plant the corn seeds. _By hand._

"Can't Mr. Thomas do this himself with his brothers?" Kina sighed.

"Kina, they're in their fifties and sixties. We're a bunch of young teenagers. Do the math!" Jon smarted.

"No need to be mean, Johnny," I scolded, dropping a seed into a hole.

My entire summer, in a nutshell. Yay.

A few hours of backbreaking (and probably illegal) labor later, everybody was sitting in the pavilion, again.

I stared out at the golden-blue sky, clouds floating lazily, the peak of Mt. Eldin in the distance. The horizon was easy to see from the flat plains of Thomas Ranch. It reminded me of a story I was told when I was younger, by an older girl. I forgot most of the details, just a few lines and my mother screaming at me.

"You know, there's always a strange sadness as dusk falls. They say it's the only time we can feel the lingering regrets of the spirits that have left our world. The hour of twilight..." I spoke poetically, quoting the book.

_"Zelda, don't go near her! She's dangerous!" A twenty-seven-year-old woman yelled to her daughter. The five-year-old child was walking towards a tall woman with fiery hair, an ancient book incased in her long-fingered hands._

Midna's green eyes shot up and looked at me. A look of worry spread across her pale face.

"What?" Karane asked, annoyed.

"Nothing, nothing," Midna's look returned to normal. Karane raised an eyebrow.

_"Would you like to hear a story, child?" The woman asked, evil hidden in her seemingly sweet voice. The child's grey eyes filled with concern. _

_"My name isn't 'child', lady. I'm Zellie!" The girl giggled. A sinister smile curled upon the woman's lips._

"Who wants to go to the pond with me?" Pipit asked. Nobody answered him. "Okay, then."

"I think you're hiding something, Midna!" I yelled, rapidly changing the subject.

"Gosh, Zel! You don't have to be so upset about it!" Midna sighed heavily. "I've read that book before. Y'know, 'Hylian History' or something? I didn't know that you've read it, too. That surprised me. Does that answer your question?" Midna declared, irritance hidden in her voice.

_"Okay then, Zellie. My book, would you like to read it?" She spoke kindly, trying to lure in her prey. She held out the ancient text, glowing an unearthly blue. She would need to read just fifty words before her spirit will let go, replaced by the spirit of the Ancient Goddess of Wisdom. _

"So nobody wants to go to the pond with me?" Pipit whined. Orielle sighed, pulling her messy chocolate waves back into a ponytail. Everyone was tired.

"I guess I'll go!" I spoke nonchalantly, waving my dirt-encrusted hands in the air. I got up out of my seat and so did Pipit, walking towards a green, four-person tractor.

"Wait, can I come, too?" Karane ran towards us, her beanie flying off her red locks. She stopped for a moment to pick it up off of the ground. It was now covered in mud, but Karane stuck it back on her head regardless.

_However, the young blonde scooped up her child from the ground and ran as far away from the woman as possible. The woman tried to chase after her, a scowl etched on her face due to the failure of her plan. _

_"I'll find her! I'll find your little girl if it is my last deed!" The woman screamed into the nothingness of the forest. Her golden eyes were set ablaze with fury and hopelessness._

"We have to go home, too, Zelda." He began, but turned around towards the loom. "Come on Diana! We're going home!" Jon called to my sister. Diana started running towards the tractor with John chasing after her.

When everyone was in the tractor, it started to go towards the pond. It took us about eight minutes to get there.

The pond was encased in trees, densely scattered within the area. The five of us walked through a narrow path before arriving at a crystalline lake.

_This was only one of the encounters of the Matron of Light and the Maiden of Shadow._

A pontoon boat was tied to a small wooden dock. Pipit tossed a set of keys to Jon as Diana and Karane loaded the small water vessel. I gulped.

"You coming, Zel?" Pipit asked, untying the boat from the dock as John started it up.

"Can't we just walk home?" I asked, eyeing the water carefully.

"Zelda, I know you're afraid of drowning, but we have lots of life jackets. You'll be fine!" Karane smiled, taking my hand.

_Yeah. Watch the boat sink in five minutes, _I thought.

I reluctantly stepped onto the pontoon, and Jon started speeding away on the water. By the time we stepped into our home, it was dark outside.

The eleven-o'clock world premiere of my favorite new movie was coming on in about four hours, after the premiere of another one of my favorite movie-documentaries. Karane was supposed to come over and watch them with me. Therefore, I needed to take a shower.

I took off my muddied boots and left them at the foot of the stairs. Dad had left the light on, thank the king. Otherwise, those steep, dark stairs would be my death sentencing. I climbed the wooden steps and turned towards the bathroom.

After stripping off my dirty clothes, I stepped into the warm shower.

You see, I have this demon-necklace-thingy. I can't take it off, or this pale indigo light will surround it, and it doesn't get dirty or wet, or said light will surround it. I swear it is the devil's incarnate. With every drop of water that falls on it in the shower, that light appears. I think it was made to trigger seizures or something.

I got out and put on my pajamas: a purple Potentia Elementary Field Day shirt and a pair of blue basketball shorts. _Fancy._

I glanced at the clock, the red numbers eight-forty-seven burning into my grey eyes. Karane would be here in half an hour to watch _Hyrule Historia_ and _Fantasy_ with me.

I took out the popcorn bag, but placed it back, remembering I had braces. Still. So what I ate an entire bag of apples and they had to rework my braces again? Twice?

Instead, I found a bag of baked chips. Bleh. Not as good as warm, drippingly-buttered popcorn crunching in your mouth. The chocolate soy milk was chilling in the fridge, waiting to be savored by two fourteen-year-old girls. I could hardly wait.

At nine, the doorbell rang. Mom opened it up, displaying Karane with her wet, red hair out of pigtails (shocking!), a washed beanie on her head. She clutched a red sleeping bag in her hands, and a gym bag was on her back. Karane's mother was standing behind her. Mrs. Gentry and Karane were like carbon copies of each other, though Mrs. Gentry wore her red hair in a long ponytail, was taller, and aged.

"Hi, Susanne! Glad you could drop Karane off this late!" Mom smiled.

"It's been really hectic today, Nessa, with the kids working at the farm. It'll do you good, Kara!" Mrs. Gentry slapped Karane's back playfully, speaking with a slight Southern accent.

"Well, looks like their movie will be starting soon! I'll make sure that Jon and Di stay upstairs, and we'll be in the basement if you need us!" Mom spoke to us.

"Bye, Karrie! Make good choices!" Mrs. Gentry kissed Karane's forehead and shut the door. Mom walked into the hallway and shut the door to the upstairs before proceeding down to the basement and shutting that door.

Karane and I walked into the living room. Our TV, a forty-seven inch one at that, was on channel six, the channel that the movies were on. The introduction to _Hyrule Historia_ was starting.

"Long ago, there was a time of heroes and princesses and evils in a noble land called Hyrule," The narrator began, accenting the "hy" in Hyrule.

"A past, once realities, then memories, then records, and finally stories, lost in the greed of the intentional forgetfulness of itself. These stories, when merged, create somewhat of a broken history for this fabled Hyrule, but people shun it. They do not want to feel the pain of defeat or the joy of victory anymore. They just want to live."

"There are many legends from this land, but none greater than this one. The story of a hero forced to labor in the heat of farms. The story of an evil who wishes to rule the land. The story of a princess, hidden in plain sight. This is a story passed down for ages, but abruptly stopped due to controversy. This story, this legend, is the legend of young girls named Zelda. This is their legend. This is our legend. This is the Legend of Zelda."

It cut to a man, sitting at the edge of a pond, with an older teenager.

"Tell me, son," The man spoke, his voice raspy. "Do ya' ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls? They say it's the only time our world intersects with the other. The only time ya' can feel the lingering regrets of all them spirits that have left us. That's why yur' always lonely at the hour o' twilight..."

Those were the words. Those were the words from that book. Those forty-nine words shocked me; I had read them before.

"As you can see from that reenactment, the Era of Twilight has been known to be one of the most controversial tales of Hyrule, ever. Many people don't even think that it actually happened, and I don't blame them!" A rather large man started laughing on the screen. It said that he was a historian. "What's crazier than having a constant yellow sky and black squares rising into nothing?"

"However, I feel that beginning with the Twilight Era is rather inappropriate. I feel that we should start with the Sky Era," A female historian began to speak. The movie went on, documenting every major and minor occurrence of this glorious country.

I knew this documentary by heart. I loved the stories it told, mainly because they seemed impossible. I mean, a floating island? Eternal yellow skies? A boy going through time to save not one, but TWO lands? It sounds like something that would make for a really good video game.

"Hey, Zel! Fantasy is starting!" Karane motioned towards the television. The sounds of crashing waves and shots of rocky beaches filled the screen. The sky was dark, a storm brewing. In the text below, it started to name... well... names.

I had no idea who the actors were, but apparently Avril was going to be played by Emma Kinstone, Zeruna by Mila George, and Liam by Pipit's old friend, Keet Williams. Or at least that's what the intro credits said.

A girl with grey eyes like mine and a dirty-blonde braid ran along the cliffs, tugging a little girl along with her.

"Come on, Zerrie! You're much too slow!" The older girl taunted, running faster. The younger girl was struggling to keep up, her long, flaxen hair fluttering in the wind.

"Are we almost there?" Zerrie yelled, her voiced tired and filled with drawn breaths. The older girl turned around and smirked mischievously.

"We _are_ there!"

I started to get tired. I yawned, my consciousness fading, and I started to fall asleep, right there leaning up against the couch.

_A chime rung through the dark, pitch black abyss I was standing in. I started walking towards a large, teal design on the floor, glowing ethereally. Stabbing the design, I could feel myself being lifted up, flying higher to nowhere. I opened my eyes to a startled young girl._

"Hey! Hey! Zelda?" Karane shook me awake. I opened my eyes. "You're missing the movie!"

"I gotta go to the bathroom!" I got up and ran upstairs to the bathroom, locking the door behind me. My shin felt like it was being eaten by sharks. I looked at it, but it was fine. Nothing was there.

I glanced at myself in the mirror. My necklace was glowing through my shirt! You could see the weird pale-indigo light through the purple!

I burst out of the bathroom and went into my bedroom. I found a large fur coat- that ought to do the trick! I mean, it's fur and leather!

I jogged back down the stairs.

"What's with the coat?" Karane asked, annoyed.

"It looks cool. I just felt like it, okay?" I scoffed.

"The same way you felt like leaving your iPod wrapped around your neck?" She laughed.

"Very funny, Karane!" I turned back to the movie. I was slightly relieved that she thought it was only an iPod. My mouth let out a content sigh.

"Hey, I'm the recluse here, not you!" Zeruna snapped at Liam.

"I thought I was just annoying," Liam said nonchalantly.

"You are."

"Glad to know I'm appreciated."

Zeruna and Liam walked through a dark forest, one with a sword, another with a glass dagger. Liam was far ahead of the towheaded girl.

I felt a sharp pain in my thigh. I clutched it hard.

"You okay, Zel?" Karane asked.

"Yeah," I spoke softly. Karane raised an eyebrow for the second time that day. Soon, the pain subsided and I felt fine.

"Hurry up, Zeruna!" Liam called.

"_Come on, Zerrie!_" A voice echoed.

"You're way too slow!"

"_You're much too slow!_"

Zeruna's sapphire eyes filled with shock, but it quickly faded. She ran towards Liam, but the screen cut to the Channel Six logo for a second.

"Good evening, I'm Anju Harris coming to you live from Hyrule Castle," A woman with short, auburn hair spoke frantically. Sirens blared in the background. You could see her shaking. "We have just received word that Her Highness, Princess Zelda, has been shot."

"What?" I screamed. Karane started shaking, too. If somebody could try to kill the Princess, the most heavily guarded and protected person in the entire nation, they could kill anybody!

"Officials say that this could have been a well-coordinated terroristic action from the country of Geruda. Regardless, Prime Minister Daltus has declared that Hyrule is in fact under attack. He advises that people stay away from crowded areas like malls and hotels for the next few days. School has also been cancelled nationwide until June ninth. Please stay safe."

The camera panned towards an ambulance, but did not zoom in. A tall woman with flaxen hair and tanned skin held a limp, purple-clad, bloodied girl. The girl had the same hair color as I did.

"Don't close your eyes! Don't close your eyes! You'll be alright!" The words seemed whispered through the distance and the sirens. The woman shook the girl furiously as she was placed gently into the ambulance.

"ZELDA!" She screamed. The camera panned back to the anchor.

"This might be the last time you see Her Highness alive," Anju spoke, sadness hidden in the worried tone. "At least she will be able to join Her Majesty Queen Elandra in the heavens for the first time."

A tear streamed down her pale face.

"Anju Harris here, back to your regularly scheduled programming."

The screen cut back to Fantasy.

"If it takes you that long to walk down a path, Princess, I'm just going to leave you here!" Liam started walking away.

"Oh, I apologize, Mr. Important Hero! Not all of us can be as brave and gallant as you! I, the holder of Wisdom, shall only exist as your personal, walking encyclopedia!" Zeruna spoke nobly, catching up to the green-clad Liam.

"Well, do excuse me Your Highness! Please do explain to me the laws of gravity, the Pythagorean theorem, and a detailed history of the universe!" Liam spoke in the same tone-of-voice.

"Please shut up!" Zeruna yelled.

Despite how funny that scene was, I was still shaken by Anju's news. I didn't want to live here in this country anymore. My home, my nation, was under attack.

"I'm scared, Zel!" Karane whispered. "What if there's a nuclear holocaust or something? I don't want to die like that!"

"Nobody wants to die like that, Karane," I bowed my head for a moment.

"I wish there was some higher being or something that we could ask to stop this, like a god. We'd get laughed at if we did, though," Karane sighed.

"What about the Ancient Goddesses? I guess you could believe in them!"

"They're dead, Zelda."

"Karane, they're goddesses. Goddesses don't die."

"Yes, they do die."

"No, they don't."

I thought for a moment. I remembered a dream I had a few nights ago, the one with that song.

"Every step I take, every breath I make, you'll be there to catch me in my wake. If I can see, if I am me, you will forever be," I spoke softly, trying to remember the complicated lyrics.

"What? That made no sense whatsoever."

"As long as you believe in them, they can't die!"

"Oh, I get it! Say, do you the name of that song?"

I tried to remember the name, but there was nothing.

"No, sorry."

We sat in quiet darkness for a while. The ceiling fan softly whirred above us, and you could hear the gentle chirps of crickets from the backyard.

"Have you ever heard of Camp Faron?" Karane asked, shattering the crystalline silence.

"Nope, can't say I have."

"I go there every year. You wanna go?"

"I'm not really the outdoorsy-type, Karane..."

"Please? It will be fun!"

"I guess I'll ask my mom."

"Now."

"Not now! Are you crazy?"

"Why?"

"Gee, I dunno! Maybe because it's dark outside. Maybe because it's one in the morning. Maybe because she thinks we fell asleep an hour ago!"

Karane laughed.

"Come on! I'll go with you. Safety in numbers!"

"Okay. But if this goes badly, I'm going to kill you. My butcher knife is hidden in my closet."

"Good to know."

Karane and I walked down the pitch black stairs leading to the basement. At its foot was a door. I opened it.

Light flooded into our eyes as we stepped into the main room of the basement. Mom was slaving over a sewing machine, making the dress Diana was going to wear for her birthday.

"Hey girls! What's wrong?" Mom looked up and smiled.

"Karane was telling me about this camp that she goes to every year. I was wondering if I could go t-"

"Zelda, hon, I'm sorry, but I just don't see you doing that."

"Mom, please!"

"Ask me tomorrow, Zelda. I'm tired. Go to bed."

I sighed heavily. Karane's emerald eyes sadded as we ascended the stairs.

* * *

Scarfing down a turkey sandwich like no tomorrow, Mom finally asked me the question again.

"Zelda, what were you talking about last night?"

"Karane goes to this thing called Camp Faron every year and I'd like to go this summer," I spoke calmly through the chewing. Mom walked over to the laptop and started to type.

"Zelda, it's 150 rupees!" Mom spoke, shocked.

"If you let me go I won't ask for anything physical that I don't need for the rest of the year!" I begged. We sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Deal."

"YEAH! Thanks, Mom!"

In three weeks, I'll finally get to leave this dusty, old farmtown and go to Faron Province! I ran into the living room and dialed Karane's number.

"Hello?" Darrell's voice echoed from the receiver.

"Hi, it's Zelda! Can I talk to Karane?" I asked politely.

"Sorry, she isn't here right now. Bye!" Darrell hung up with an annoyed voice drenched in sarcasm. Jerk. I dropped the phone on the couch and ran upstairs to John's bedroom.

"Hey, Jon! Can you drive me t-"

"No."

"I haven't even told yo-"

"No."

I walked back downstairs.

This was going to be a weird summer for everybody.

* * *

**Ah! So much stuff! Yes, this chapter was a lot shorter than the others, but these beginning chapters are such a drag to write! I want to skip to the gore and blood and action! Don't worry, the story will start to pick up soon.**

**The lyrics Zelda spoke were made by me, so I own them. MWAHAHA! They are part of a set of Hylian hymns I made up.**

**Oh, and if you're wondering, I decided that the theme song to this story would be _This Is Your Life_ by Switchfoot. You'll understand soon. **

**Remember to check out _Reality_ and _Crown of Ages_!**

**-Ani**

**_Published June 12, 2012._  
**


	5. Chapter 4

**Welcome to Chapter 4, with dear Tetra! YAY! Chapter 5 took me a lot less time to write, so this chapter was able to come quicker! DOUBLE YAY! **

_***Answering Reviews**** Time!***_

**_Abbybatsy_- Thank you for reviewing! You think this is good? You made my day! As for when the twins meet... I think the universe might as well explode. It will be dramatic! There will be board games! I absolutely LOVED writing the goddesses part! In fact, you might just see them again soon! Oh, that shooting scene wasn't even planned! I added it in last minute, but it will affect the plot a LOT. As for Midna? It could be Midna, but that's not likely. There are lots of other fiery-haired women in Zelda. The TV show was a parody of LeilaEditer's Reality! It has a lot of funny moments! And of course I'm still writing this! It's on my mind practically every second anyways... :) **

**_*Done Answering Reviews!*_**

**Reviews are always welcome, despite what the prologue's author's note says. **

**Beta-read by LeilaEditer. I don't own Zelda. **

**-Ani**

* * *

**Chapter 4 (The Princess)**

Thunder boomed outside the hospital window. I had begged Impa to keep it open so I could watch the morning thunderstorm cover the city. The large window was now smeared with raindrops falling in sheets upon the glass and steel rooftops of the lanky skyscrapers of Hyrule Castle City. I could have been playing soccer right now, if my legs weren't in such bad shape.

Today, I am finally going to be discharged from this boring hospital. It has been a week and a half since I was forced on to this uncomfortable bed, and the doctor told me I was to be on crutches until my departure to Camp Faron. Sadly, he also said that the scars covering my legs would be there for at least three years. _Thanks, Ancient Goddesses!_

My father opened the door. His hefty weight shook the glass flower vases as he walked over to me, his manner still diplomatic and serious. I don't blame him; after all, what is worse than almost losing half of your family?

"Tetra, how are you feeling?" He asked, hovering over me like a Blessed Butterfly, smoothing back my dirty locks of hair with his large fingers. I still haven't taken a bath yet due to my laziness, so there's dried blood in my hair. It was oily and greasy, too, falling over my weary face in raunchy clumps.

"Better!" I replied with fake enthusiasm. My legs still ached tremendously, and my sedative was wearing off.

"Perfect! Impa will be here to take you home in a minute. I'll see you in about half an hour, pumpkin," Papa kissed my acne-ridden, filthy forehead and walked out of the room, the glass vases clanking as he made his exit. I hoisted myself up off the uncomfortable hospital bed, grabbing the heavy crutches that were lying against the mattress. I had them in my arms when Impa walked in, her face empty of all makeup, even the red eye on her forehead she kept on even at night.

"Let's go, Tetra," She spoke, exasperated. Her usually alert crimson eyes were devoid of their fierce glare, and now appeared weary and tired. I hobbled over to her, the two of us walking down the bright hospital hallway.

* * *

Laying in a plush, fuchsia, velvet chair in my bedroom, Impa brought in a small suitcase nearly bursting at the seams. She carefully unzipped it, revealing assorted t-shirts, basketball shorts, and makeup.

"Okay, Tetra. You can't go to camp as yourself. You're too recognizable, too vulnerable! That's why Hena and I have worked hard the last week coming up with your disguise," Impa spoke sleepily, opening the door to let Hena inside. Her brown curls were pulled up into a ponytail, as usual.

"Can I take a nap while you do this? I'm tired," I whined.

"Yes, Your Highness, but please, no thrashing around! It will mess up the makeup!" Hena smiled cheerfully.

I closed my eyes. I'm not sure how much time elapsed between when I fell asleep and when I woke up, but the second I opened my eyes, I didn't see myself in the marble floor.

"And that's why my mother won't let me pursue my ambition to be an Olympic rower. She thought this would be better because she thinks that I'm just so artistic, but what can you do, Impa?" Hena laughed.

"I know the feeling. I've always wanted to be a historian, but I've been bound by my race's promise to protect these people. However, I truly do enjoy protecting Her Highness, ever since Her Majesty's passing," Impa sighed.

"Elandra must have been a very good person. At least you got to meet her before the car accident!" Hena laughed again.

"She was. Are you done?" Impa inquired. I could hear her picking something up.

"Wait! I still need to put in the contacts! Are you awake, Your Highness?" Hena nudged me softly on the shoulder.

"Yes, Hena, I'm awake," I sighed.

"Good! Can you put these in for me?"

"You mean, touch my eye?"

"That's how you put in contacts, Your Highness."

"Well, okay then..."

I put the contacts in my eyes. Hopefully, I will never have to do that ever again.

"Okay, Tetra, here you go!" Impa laid a mirror in my lap. I looked at it and nearly screamed at the differences. My eyes looked almost oriental, winging out at the end. My irises were as black as night. My lips looked thinner and less like their natural dark rose color, and my hair was rolled into a bun on the crown of my head. And my skin... it was so dark, almost like Impa's, but a bit lighter. If I wasn't myself, I would barely be able to recognize myself.

"You are now Tetra Lucienen, the daughter of a navy sailor. You were born in Aecor, a small fishing village on the coast of this very province. You are cold, but nice to people you know," Hena announced dramatically, laughing yet again.

"I don't feel like myself, Hena," I sighed.

"Good. You aren't!" Impa huffed.

"Now, Impa and I will be packing your stuff. I know you aren't going for a few weeks, but this needs to be done early. And if you need help, just scream. Bye!" Hena and Impa walked out of the room, whispering to one another about their childhoods.

Just scream, right? I screamed my lungs out when I was shot and nobody heard me, so what makes her think that if I screamed right now people would help? Like this injury changed everybody's minds about my safety.

It's like I'm just a thing. Just a name, just a face, just an injury. People act like they love me and need to protect me, just like treasure. An object. A prize. A reward. I'm not even going to be queen anyways, so why should they even care about my well being?

I wanted to go to Camp Faron to be myself, to have freedom, not have a fake personality shoved down my throat! I hate this place and these people and this helpless nation so much! We have the most pathetic army I've ever seen! From what Impa has taught me, we had to be saved sixteen times by a single person. Not the same person, just one person sixteen times. It made me want to kill myself in shame.

I grabbed a towel off the floor and wiped my face. The makeup was beginning to burn my eyes. I took out the contacts and pulled out the bun. I scrubbed my face even harder. I was beginning to look more like myself. I'm not Tetra Lucienen and I'm not Princess Zelda. I'm just The Tetra, the fourth member of my family.

I took the crutches and holstered myself upon them, hobbling towards the very balcony I had escaped off of the night I got shot. I peered out the window. The sun was setting, casting an eerie, lavender twilight over the gardens. However, tonight the gardens were not silent and empty. They were being patrolled by guards, armed with swords and rifles. I could see Eagus near the fountain. Curse that dreaded fountain.

I limped over to my bed and collapsed on it. I was confused; this didn't feel like my life anymore.

_"Do not forget your identity!"_ Din's warning creeped through me like a parasite. How could I forget my identity? I know exactly who I am, but my life is just changing, and not for the better. I wanted to go to Camp Faron as myself, not some fake personality. Don't they realize that the sugary-sweet voice and charity partnerships are part of my fake personality as their princess? Sometimes, the staff here can be idiots.

I wish I had some general anesthesia right now, something, anything to get me away from this world, this life. That was the whole meaning of going to camp. An escape.  
I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep, but my legs still ached, keeping me awake. I just don't want to do this anymore! I don't want to be a princess! Call me selfish, but I don't want this fate!

The room seemed to be getting darker, little white lights appearing around the edge of my vision. Consciousness was fading, my body finally giving into the lack of sleep. I was finally escaping.

I was standing in a field of dirt, people screaming all around me. Many in strange costumes yelled at me to move, but I couldn't. My feet were stuck to the ground. I saw myself up far away, standing next to Impa. Suddenly, everything was absolutely calm, just for a moment. Then I heard it: the most terrible, groundbreaking tremor I have ever heard. I let out a scream, but I was still bound to the earth.

"Tetra! Tetra! Are you okay?" I heard somebody yell. They were shaking me, and hard. I tried to open my eyes, but I just couldn't.

"Can you open your eyes?" I heard another voice yell. It was beginning to sound familiar.

"No! I can't!" I spoke, rubbing my eyelids. They were encrusted with stuff, preventing me from opening them. "There's stuff on it!"

"I got it!" Yet another voice spoke, and it began wiping off my eyes. I opened them to blinding light.

"What on e-" I paused as I regained my vision. My brows furrowed as I saw the four people in front of me. "YOU AGAIN!" I pointed my finger hastily at the Ancient Goddesses. "Do you even know how much trauma I went through because of all of yo-"

"Okay, seriously, darling? We know, we're GODS!" Din crossed her muscular arms over her chest.

"What the heck is wrong with all of you?" I yelled. "And what are you doing here? I thought you could only live by the fountain!"

"Because you awakened us, we are free to move as we please at night," Nayru sighed softly, brushing back her oceanic locks.

"Well, isn't that great?" I retorted. "What do you want?"

"You were in distress, and you said that you didn't want this life anymore. Well, we're going to give it to you!" Farore smiled.

"Give me what?"

"We're going to give you a new destiny!" Hylia declared. She was still crying.

"Why are you crying?" I spoke softer, in a more gentle tone.

"That will be explained in due time. Now, you need to focus on going to camp," Hylia pointed to Farore.

"Because you will be transferring from the Hyrule Castle District to Faron Province, your spiritual protection will not be handled by all of us, just me," Farore explained.

"Wait, you each protect your own regions?" I asked.

"Yes. We all handle Hyrule Castle City, but Farore handles Faron Province, giving more courage to the people residing there. I, Din, handle Eldin and give my people more power to do things. Nayru gives everybody in Lanayru more wisdom so they can turn on a computer and do "hard" things like that. Nayru, your people suck!" Din started laughing. Nayru slapped her hard on the cheek, leaving a red handprint on Din's tan face.

"Like you could run the government single-handedly!" Nayru spat.

"Sure, Runie. Sure I couldn't. That's also why your army is disgusting, because you won't let all the military bases by my volcano so I can make them actually kill stuff!"

"Volcanoes are dangerous! They expl-"

"Eldin Volcano hasn't erupted for five hundred years, Nayru!"

"What about in the next five hundred years, huh? All your people will be goners!"

"Okay, Miss Desert-Ocean-Time-Travelling-Know-It-All! Tell the mortal everything about her-"

"Ahem!" Hylia coughed.

"About my what?"

"Oh crap! Better do some explaining, Dinnie!" Nayru teased.

"No way in Geruda I'm doing any explaining! Go, fairy-girl!" Din pointed to Farore.

"Hylia?" Farore asked remorsefully.

"Um..." Hylia sighed.

"Fine! I'll do it!" Nayru grumbled.

"No! We're not telling her!" Hylia screamed. I never knew Din's eyes could open that wide.

"Again, why are you here?" I yelled. I was seriously getting ticked off.

"You said you did not want this fate, therefore, I am giving you another!"

"Great, Hylia! I understand that! Can you begin this ritual thingy or whatnot?"

She sighed.

"You are truly becoming her..." She looked up at the ceiling.

"Okay, I'm only like this when I'm stressed! And it really isn't normal to see deities right in front of you, thus the 'me stressing out' part and what are you doing to my necklace?" My necklace was shining brightly, being pulled off of my neck. "That's my mama's! Stop it!"

The light faded.

"Child, the only way to rid you of your fate is to rid you of this pendant!" Nayru pouted.

"You are to never, may I repeat, NEVER touch this necklace ever again!" I clutched it. A burning feeling engulfed the hand holding it, spreading to my arm, my torso, all the way down to my toes. A shock echoed within my body.

Then, I could see it. A burning castle. A girl in a lavender dress dragging a bloodied corpse clad in green. A charred beast burning at the peak. A blue... potato? And then six people, all of different sizes, shapes, and colors, holding hands. I knew it.

"Princess, I hate to say it, but you just set yourself back into your fate. Permanently!" Farore yelled franticly. She paced the room, her olive braid swinging as she walked.

"Wait, now I have to be a princess?" I asked. My stress was turning into fear.

"It is much more than what it seems. I am afraid we have spoken too much. We shall return you to your sleep!" Nayru declared. Everything was fading darker, even the holy light of the Ancient Goddesses.

I was lost in the abyss of my subconscious.

* * *

It was three in the morning. Hena was reapplying my makeup. She had instructed me to apply the full-body tanning lotion yesterday to make my skin the proper shade. I looked at myself in the mirror again. This wasn't me. It was the product of Impa's imagination. I know she's trying to protect me, but I will always hate her for this.

"Remember, the tanning stuff comes of in the shower after using soap, so you'll need to reapply after you bathe, _Tetra_!" Hena smiled, using my new real name.

I looked like a mixture of about fifteen different races. I hate this.

I had on a purple t-shirt, and baggy, blue pants. A deep red sweatshirt kept me warm in the freezing garage of the palace. A black duffle laid by my side.

Impa walked in. She had in green contacts and a long brown wig. Her skin looked a few shades paler, her eyes looking less oriental than usual. Impa almost looked younger.

"Are you ready, Tetra?" She asked, smiling. It was then that I noticed her lips were naturally a dark rose color, not the deep blue I had seen so many times before.

In that green sweatshirt and jeans, she looked exactly like a Hylian college student.

"Yeah, I guess."

My stomach flipped.

"Well, we have to be at the station in ten minutes! Let's go!" She took my hand, dragging me towards a black sedan.

"Have a great time!" Hena waved. I threw the heavy duffle into the back, it only taking up two spaces. I buckled into the rightmost one. Impa started the car up.

"Tetra, if you feel threatened at camp whatsoever, I will get to you and take you home as fast as possible, okay? That is a promise! Remember, we all love you."

"They why didn't you find me when I got shot?"

"Tetra, the gardens are huge and I was sleeping. Eagus happened to peer out the window and see a body."

"I could have died!"

"Tetra, this has nothing to do with that!"

I watched out the window, the lights of buildings passing by in a blur, each a person with their own stories and dreams generalized into a single stereotype. Just like me. Forced to be princess because of my blood.

"Impa, I hate this."

"What do you mean?" She pulled into the station.

"I don't like all of these lies! Fake personas!"

"Do you want to die, Tetra?" Impa's voice grew tense.

"Who would even shoot me anyways? I'm worthless to this land!"

"Look at the scars on your legs and ask yourself that question again!"

"I don't want to be reminded of your ignorance, Impa!" I dragged the duffle out of the car and slammed the door.

After getting past security, I handed an attendant my ticket.

"Thank you for choosing Hyrule's Spirit Track Railways!" She smiled as I ascended the platform. A lipsticky, phony smile.

Several rushed travelers stood around me. Some were talking on phones, others were handling tired, cranky children. It was hectic.

The train glided to a stop, the doors opening wide to let passengers out. When they were gone, the attendants allowed us to board the train. I took a seat next to a window facing the platform. A stray figure was just standing there, crossing her arms over her chest. She turned around, where I could see tears streaming down her face. It was Impa, of all people. The scary part? Impa doesn't cry, unless...

I focused my glare back into the train. I couldn't think of that, not right now. The train began to glide away from the station and into the night, cityscape after cityscape whirring past my eyes.

A vibration and jingle started coming from the side of my duffle. My hand dug around for a while, eventually pulling out an iPhone. On the screen was a text from Impa.

"I'm sorry, Tetra." Great, now I have the guilt trip. "By the way, I left pictures of your father, your brother, and of course, your trusty caretaker, me."

I shut the phone off and placed it in the duffle. I needed to sleep this discomfort off. After all, I wasn't going to be in Audentia, the capital of Faron Province, until three today. I would then have to take an hour-long bus ride to Vectis, the city Camp Faron is by. This country is huge.

Thankfully, my legs hurt much less than they did last week. I didn't need the crutches anymore, but the scars still looked horrifying.

I tried to close my eyes and rest for a moment, but I couldn't. I picked the iPhone back up, rereading the text. She said she left a picture of my brother on here. Doesn't she know that I'm not even close to my brother? I only see him during Tuesday night dinner.

When I was little, we used to play all the time. We'd run through the castle gardens like banshees and play pretend. Matthew would always pretend to be a hero, carrying a stick like a sword, fending off imaginary foes. I'd always be the guide, telling him where he was, where he needed to go, and what something was. We would go through imaginary forests, oceans, even deserts, to save an imaginary queen. Matthew and I would play this game everyday.

Then he turned nine.

I was instantly pushed onto the back burner, his "royal duties" the most important thing he needed to worry about, after all, he was to be king. My brother was the only friend I have ever had, and he left me.

Now, every time I see him, he acts like he hates me. He has major attitude problems when the press isn't swarming over him. I just wish we could be friends, but since Papa's already thinking about collage and marriage for Matthew, I doubt that will ever happen.  
I shut my eyes tightly. My body was fighting sleep, but I needed it. I was tired.

* * *

I didn't know how long I had slept for, but the train was moving through forestland. I checked the iPhone. It was two. Sleeping for nine hours straight on a noisy train? There has to be some kind of record for that.

My stomach began to ache. I have never been this far from home before, never this far from Impa and Papa. What if something happens to me? This wasn't a good idea at all. I want to go home.

But, I can't. I told Papa and Impa that I was going! I have to live up to this commitment, no matter how frightening!

Nevermind, this is almost pure torture. I miss my bed.

After a while, the forestland began to fade into buildings, until the buildings were gleaming skyscrapers crammed together. Without a doubt, this has to be Audentia. It was smaller than Hyrule Castle City, but still beautiful. It had an abundance of greenery for such an urban area.

The train began slowing down. A man came over the intercom telling us to gather our things and prepare to leave. I slung the duffle over my shoulder. It was a lot heavier than I expected, forcing my knees to shake.

The doors slid open, and people began shoving their way out. I took my first step onto the concrete that was Audentia South Station, my first step outside my home city.

I made my way past arrival security and towards an attendant.

"Excuse me, but where is the bus to Vectis?" I asked a blonde woman with the same cheesy smile as the woman back at the other station.

"Right down there, fourth bus on the left. I hope you enjoyed riding on Hyrule's Spirit Track Railways!" She motioned.

"Thanks!" I started walking towards the bus. I climbed the large stairs and sat down in a seat near the window. A few other girls were on the bus, but it was mainly business people and young families.

I felt a tap on the shoulder. I turned around.

"Hey! Are you going to Camp Faron, too?" A girl with electric green eyes asked, leaning over the empty chair next to me.

"Yeah. Hey, I'm Tetra. Tetra Lucienen," I held out my hand. She shook it.

"Oh, I'm Ilia! I'm from a place really close to the southern border. A little city named Pectus! Have you ever heard of it?" Her dark blonde ponytail bobbed up and down.

"No, I live off the coast of the ocean. My dad's in the navy," I lied.

"Oh, that must be cool! I bet you really miss him," She remarked.

"Yeah. At least he has my mom to keep him company! What about yours?"

"Oh, I don't have a mom. She had cancer when I was real little. Me and my sister miss her a lot. I was only four when she died." She sighed.

"That's horrible!" I objected, extremely out-of-character. "I can't imagine being without my mom!"

"We've gotten used to it. Say, maybe we'll have the same cabin! Wouldn't that be cool?" Ilia smiled.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Do you like horses? My father owns a horse ranch back home!"

"That's pretty cool."

"Yeah, it is. I get to work with the horses all the time!"

Her voice was beginning to annoy me.

"Is this your first time going to camp?" I changed the subject.

"Yeah. It's really exciting! I heard that there's going to be archery and rowing and hiking and survival skills classes and horseback riding!"

"Cool!"

"You seem really tired."

"I was just on a ten hour train ride."

"Oh!" Ilia paused, biting her lip. "What's your favorite movie?"

We sat and talked for the remainder of the bus ride. When the bus stopped at a little wooden trellis, Ilia and I got off, along with about twenty other girls probably from South Faron or Hyrule Castle City.

"What now?" Ilia asked.

"I think we have to walk!" A girl with lavender hair spoke frantically.

"That would take us forty-five minutes!" Another girl objected.

"Well, okay, Maggie. Why don't you just call up a taxi for all of us?"

"I don't even own a cell phone, Sue!"

"Then we have to walk! Come on, everybody!" She looked at me. "Whoa! Nice pants! Where ya from?"

"Lanayru, by the ocean. My dad's in the navy. I'm Tetra."

The girl shook my hand.

"I'm Sue-Belle, but you can just call me Sue. If you're from the ocean, what were you doing on a train from Hyrule Castle City?"

"There wasn't a train from Consilium to Audentia today."

"Oh. Hey, who's your friend?"

"I'm Ilia Keolin!" Ilia smiled and shook Sue's hand. All of the girls began walking. By the time we reached camp, I had two actual friends.

"Hey! Welcome to Camp Faron, girls! Everyone is gathering over there to hear room assignments!" A counselor pointed towards hundreds of girls surrounding an older woman with a megaphone.

"Hello! My name is Miss Rose, and here are your cabin assignments! In the Zora Cabin, we have Sue-Belle Davidson! Claire Willowby! Maggie Overstone! Tetra Lucienen? Did I say that right? Ilia Keolin! Helen Mardd! Joelle Pontic! Megan Pontic! Your cabin is on the left by the stream! Go!" Ilia, Sue, and I hustled towards the first cabin on the left, nestled inside a group of pine trees, and, as the 'Miss Rose' lady said, by a stream.

The front of the cabin had a small porch. On one of the support posts, there was a blue Mark of Nayru, but to anybody else, it would be just the symbol of the Zora tribe. Nobody even knows what happened to the Zoras, or if they still exist. Now, it's just a myth.

The inside had eight beds, just wooden frames and worn mattresses. In the back was probably a bathroom. I set my duffle on the rightmost bed closest to the door. I peered out the window. A girl with red pigtails was walking alongside a girl with a yellow ponytail, joking loudly about child abuse.

I looked back into the cabin. What is it with hair these days? Sue and that Megan girl both have purple hair. Then again, my hair is yellow, so who am I to blame. But my hair is naturally yellow.

"Hey! Tetra! We have to get our uniforms! Come on!" Ilia grabbed my hand and drug me out of the cabin.

This is already getting off to a very strange start.

* * *

**Well, looks like I got your hopes up! Tetra and Zelda don't meet in this chapter, but they will soon! **

**Reviews welcome! LeilaEditer's Reality and Flute Chick's Crown of Ages are really well written! Check them out!**

**-Ani**

_**Published June 18, 2012.**_


	6. Chapter 5

**Hello! I know, I've been kind of missing in action, but I have a broken computer and a surgery to take care of. :( ****By the way, I post chapter updates on my profile. **

**The Great LeilaEditer beta-read this for me! And you know what, I don't own Zelda! *gasp***

**Thank you for reviewing, and I hope you enjoy this very late chapter! **

**-Ani**

* * *

**Chapter 5 (The Maiden)**

"Zelda, come on! If we don't get to the train station before four, you can't go to camp!" My mother threw the covers off of me.

"But it's midnight!" I whined.

"It takes three hours to get to Kakariko! Get up, Zelda!"

"I'm tired!"

"Now!"

"Give her a break, Nessa!" My dad came in. "Now, are we leaving Jon and Di here or are they coming?"

"They're coming."

"Mom!" Jon whined from down the hall.

"We're going to be gone for about six or seven hours, Jon! You have to come!" My mom yelled.

"Are we picking up Karane?" I asked, wiping my eyes as I sat up.

"Yes, her and Midna."

"Midna's coming? Sweet!"

"Now get dressed, Zel!" Mom and Dad left the room, shutting the door behind them. I took my clothes, a red t-shirt and brown basketball shorts, and put them on. A green duffle lay at my side, packed with extra clothes, bug spray, toiletries, a sleeping bag, blah blah blah.

"Come on, Zelda! We have to _go_!" Dad yelled. I could hear car doors slamming shut beneath me. I slipped on my tennis shoes, put my hair in the ponytail, hoisted the stupid duffle over my shoulder, and walked down to the garage. The second I reached for the doorknob, I felt depressed.

I have this strange phobia. Every time we go on vacation or leave the house to go someplace far away or for a large amount of time, I fear that something horrible is going to happen to it. I just love this house so much; it holds all my memories. I know I'll see this place again in a couple of weeks, but still. I'm going to miss it.

Turning the knob, I stepped into the garage. After getting in the car, the garage door opened. That fear still rattled inside me as we left the driveway.

* * *

"So then Colin said that if the coffee mug was enchanted, he'd name it Clark. Of all names! I'm glad my host parents named their daughter Haeda!" Midna laughed as we waited for the train at Kakariko West Station.

"You do realize that Haeda is a stranger name than Clark, right?" Karane raised an eyebrow for the ninety-seventh time that hour. She does that a lot.

"This is Hyrule. We all have strange names," I pointed out.

"True that!" Midna laughed again.

"You look like a floating head."

"What?"

"Midna, that getup and the darkness makes you look like a floating head. Seriously, you've been here a year and you have yet to wear Hyrulean clothes."

"Don't be harsh, Karane."

"Be quiet, Zel."

"Well, I'm sorry I have to wear these clothes. It's part of my country's ethical standards."

"Well," Karane mocked, "You're not in your country. You're in Hyrule now."

"Where is you county, anyways?" I asked.

"It's way past Geruda."

"You're from Calatia?"

"Farther."

"Okay, let me sit here and name every country ever and see if you tell me. Hyrule, Termina, Geruda, Subrosia, Labrynna, Holodr-"

"Shut it, Zelda."

"Okay."

We all stood there in silence, as silent as a busy train station at three in the morning can be. Finally, the dreaded hunk of metal came into view. The train was completely empty, save for about thirty attendants and the conductor guy. The doors slid open with a huff of air, like when you open a soda bottle for the first time. Two at a time, people walked in to their respective cars, sitting at their respective seat.

"What car do we have?" Midna implored.

"Car Three," Karane glanced at her ticket.

"That's all the way over there! We're standing by Car Fifteen!" I yelled. We started running and shoving frantically through the thinning crowd. Just as we got to Car Three, the doors closed.

Almost.

A middle-aged man pushed the door open, preventing our trip from being ruined. We hurried inside and sat by a window, heaving and catching our breath. My heart was beating loud enough for the universe to hear.

"I didn't know that trains could be so long," Karane huffed.

"There are twenty rows of seats in each car. I feel like I just ran a mile," I drew a deep breath.

"What's the route?" Karane asked, still breathing deeply.

"From here to Consilium," Midna paused, taking a breath, "And from there to Audentia."

Ah, Consilium, capital of Lanayru Province, home of snobs. All of the capitals and major cities of Hyrule are connected via this very train system, the Spirit Track Railway. Stupid name, but they said it relates to some historical thingy.

Finally, the train began to move. The blackness of Kakariko City at night was almost utterly horrifying. We Eldinians aren't really ones to stay up hours on end; we like our sleep. This is why Kakariko has a no-lights-after-midnight-until-five rule, to help save endangered birds or something. The only lights allowed are ones purchased and operated by the government, like train station lights and streetlights. Most people just purchase blackout curtains.

Kakariko was gone in about thirty minutes. It really isn't a big city; it has the lowest population for all the capitals in Hyrule, but it might have been because Kakariko West is situated on the outside of the city limits.

The flat, fertile cropland and greenery of Eldin began to fade into more hilly land, dull green grasses swaying to the gentle breeze. We were crossing over Hyrule Field, a huge nature reserve connecting all of the provinces, untouched by humans for well over five hundred years. At least that's what the booklet always says.

Dawn was beginning to creep over the horizon. The sun was a stark red, surrounded by gentle roses and lilacs, rising into the sky like a mighty king- slowly but steadily, filled with pride. The dark indigo sky filled with shimmering stars began to retreat, the rainbow of reds, oranges, purples, and pinks conquering in its place. As the sun grew higher, its red hue changed to white and the sky from red to purple to teal. Ever since I was little, I've always thought that the sunrise was pretty magical.

Karane and Midna were asleep on their duffle bags. I was getting pretty tired myself, but I had to remain awake. We would be arriving in Consilium in four hours, and I promised them that I'd wake them up when we got there.

Hyrule Field passed by within an hour, I think. Stupid old watch. I've had this thing for seven years and once you set it to Daylight Savings Time, _it never goes back_. So it might have been an hour.

The terrain began to change again; the hills rolling higher, the green grasses and shrubs changing into beautifully vivid oaks and maples. This was Lanayru Province and Hyrule Castle City, the capital. Hyrule Castle District was its own province and contained Hyrule Castle City, and nestled itself between northwest Faron Province and northeast Lanayru Province.

It's amazing how much information this pamphlet will tell you. I should collect these.

In a few hours, we were nearing Consilium. Its buildings looked huge and abstract, probably due to the fact that Consilium hosts a lot of artists and engineers. Fountains were everywhere. _Everywhere_.

I nudged Midna, my hand stretching over Karane.

"Wak-"

"DON'T EAT M- ZELDA! RUN!" Midna screamed and trashed around, promptly waking up Karane and everybody else on the train. I slapped her. "Oh, hey Zelda! Why is everybody mad?"

I glanced around at the angry stares of the other passengers.

"You just screamed and woke everybody up," I stated very matter-of-factly.

"Oh. Okay. Sorry!" Midna waved to the other passengers.

"We're getting close to Consilium. I think we should get our stuff ready," I pointed to their duffels, which were sliding off their laps.

"Since the next train doesn't come for two hours, maybe we could eat something?" Karane asked, straightening up in her seat.

"Okay," Midna and I nodded. Just as I predicted, the train slid to a stop. The doors opened, and we got off. We slipped through security and made it onto the sidewalks of Consilium.

"Hey, look! They have a pizza place like back home!" Midna pointed to a sign that said _Waterside Pizza_. It must be a franchise or something.

"I'm not really in the mood for pizza. What if we go to that burger place?" Karane motioned towards a MacHorwell's.

"Okay."

We started walking down the street, receiving stares and laughs. I mean, really, seeing three girls carrying heavy luggage, one wearing a black dress and veil, one with a green snow hat, and the other with yellow hair, isn't normal?

We walked into MacHorwell's, the smell of grease attacking my nostrils. We ordered our food, sat, and ate it. Then we walked back to the train station and got on our train. And then I slept. Eventful.

* * *

It was hot and it was crowded. This crazy fat lady was screaming cabin assignments into a megaphone. Finally, our names were called. Midna, Karane, and I were in the Mogma cabin. Karane and I began to walk towards our cabin, which was supposedly near a lake.

"This is child abuse!" I objected.

"Huh?"

"We've been carrying these stupid duffels all day! CHILD ABUSE!" I yelled as we passed a random cabin. Karane laughed.

"Come on, Tetra! We have to get our uniforms!" A high-pitched voice squealed.

"She sounds annoying!" Karane mumbled.

"Tetra is a stupid name," I murmured.

"Hey, our cabin is down there!" Karane pointed. We ran as fast as somebody can run with a duffle slung over their body. I opened the door and collapsed on a bed.

"Come on! We gotta get uniforms!" Karane put her stuff down and walked to the door.

"I'm tired," I whined.

"You just slept for about fourteen hours straight," Karane stopped. I whimpered. "Fine. What size?"

"Adult extra small."

"Shrimp."

"Love you too."

I was alone in that big cabin, lying on a firm bed. It was nice.

"Hey!" Midna and about five other girls burst into the cabin. "Okay! Let's introduce ourselves! I'm Midna!"

"Zelda," I croaked, raising my hand.

"Beth! I'm Beth!" A girl with blue hair jumped.

"Kili!"

"Linda."

"Corvina!"

"Alexis."

"Karane's gone," I coughed.

"Hey, this place has a ceiling fan!" Kili exclaimed. I was instantly annoyed.

"Y'know what," I began, sitting up on the bed. "I'm gonna grab a soda." I walked out of the cabin and down the porch stairs. Gravel and mulch crunched under my feet.

Idiots. I don't drink soda! But club soda sounds all fancy and cool. If I ever meet a rich person, I'm so going to ask them about it.

Turning my head around, I collided with somebody.

"Sorry!" I yelled, continuing towards the Mess Hall.

I started to walk back towards the cabin. I had no real reason to leave anyways.

* * *

Later that day, Midna and I were sitting with all the other girls, waiting for food.

"We gotta get the s'mores, Zel!" Midna dragged me over to the giant campfire. A counselor handed us each a drippy, warm s'more. I shoved it in my mouth and walked towards the cabin.

"Okay, Zel. Stop it. You're getting all weird again."

"I'm tired."

"You use that excuse too often. What's up? Tell me."

"I'm bored."

"You're bored?"

"Yes, I'm bored!" I chomped into the marshmallowy goodness.

"What if we sign up for the soccer match on Wednesday?" Midna suggested.

"Sure."

"Okay, good, because I kind of already signed you up for that," Midna bit her lip, green eyes darting sideways.

"Thanks," I scoffed. "Can I sleep now?"

"Okay."

* * *

Fixing the cleats, I sat upon the benches over the muddy grass. A torrential downpour had swept through yesterday, soaking the soccer field. People were cheering for this one girl who apparently had one all the matches so far.

"Excellent, girls! Looks like we got ourselves a new, undefeated camp champ, Miss Tetra Lucienen from Lanayru Province!" A counselor declared. The audience went crazy. "Do we have any challengers?"

Tetra... That name sounded familiar. I eyed the field. Oh well, you only live once!

"I'll take a whack at it!" I walked towards the counselor.

"Your name, sweetie?" The counselor asked.

"Zelda Harlon."

"We got ourselves a challenger, Miss Zelda Harlon from Eldin Province! Okay, grab a helmet!" The counselor pointed behind her. Why do we need helmets for soccer? Only two people are playing, anyways. I strapped it on regardlessly. Sadly, it covered the face. How will I see the sad face of that Tetra girl's loss when it's covered with one of these helmets?

I walked over to the other girl.

"Ready, set, go!" The counselor blew her whistle.

The girl kicked the ball first, just barely missing my face. Desperately running after it, the ball rolled across the field in a streak. Intercepting its route, I kicked the ball across the field. Finally, I was going to score!

The girl came out and spun the ball off its course. Chasing it down the field like a madman, I was able to control it again. I funneled it between my two feet, trying so hard to keep it in my kicking range.

Out of nowhere, the girl appeared and kicked the ball in my face. I lost all balance, landing into a mud puddle and letting out a girly scream.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay? Here, let me help!" She held out her hand. I thought for a nanosecond.

"No, let me help you!" I grasped the girl's hand and pulled her into the mud, her screams nearly breaking my ears.

"Jerk!" She hissed.

"Takes one to know one!" I countered.

"Woah, girls! What a show! C'mon, get up, now!" The counselor cooed as we stood up. I turned away from the girl and took off my helmet. "Girls, shake hands! C'mon!"

Slowly, I pivoted on my heel.

As if on a cue, the girl and I gasped. We looked kind of similar. Scratch that- we looked almost like mirror images, her being darker-skinned and her eyes more oriental. Hushed whispers erupted within the audience.

"Why is everybody staring?" I asked causally, trying to divert their attention... unsuccessfully.

"Don't you see the resemblance between us?" The girl acknowledged, her brown eyes wide.

"Resemblance? Between us two?" I scoffed. "Turn to the side."

The girl pivoted, allowing me a good view of her profile.

"And the other way."

She turned again, then faced me with an icy glare.

"Your eyes are a bit long, and those ears! How do you sleep with them? They stick out like tree branches! Oh, and that nose..." I paused and bit my lip, glancing at her hurt expression. "Don't worry, you'll grow into it."

"Do you want me to punch her for ya'?" A girl with lavender hair stepped up.

"I'm not finished yet," I sneered. "Do you want to know the actual difference between us?"

"Let me see..." She paused. "I know how to play soccer and you don't, or I have morals and you don't? Take your pick!" The girl laughed.

"Why I oughtta..." I growled, leaning in towards her, fists clenched in fury. She did the same.

"Okay girls, lets break up this little party. Tetra, Zelda," The counselor looked at me, then the other girl. "I mean, Zelda, Tetra! Uh, oh my!"

I stormed away with a hurt ego. No way was I going to let her get away with my face and pride! She shall pay!

* * *

Later that day, I was explaining the soccer match to Karane and Midna during lunch.

"And that's why it was a horrible idea," I sighed.

"Oh, that girl?" Linda interrupted, fixing her black hair back into a bun. "She's in the Zora cabin!"

"How do you know?" Karane asked.

"My best friend Sue is in that cabin, too."

"Oh."

"She wants to have a rematch tonight."

"Tonight? We're not allowed on the fields at night," Midna justified.

"Yeah, so they're going to have a chess competition. She originally wanted to play poker, but she's afraid the counselors will find out."

"Ah, so she's chicken, eh?" I chuckled.

"I'd say more like smart. She has this kind of regal aura about her. Kinda strange for somebody from the Lanayrunian coast."

"So you'll be the messenger between us. Tell the girl that we'll be there at 9 sharp!" Karane declared.

"Okay then. Good luck, Zel. You'll need it."

_Haha, sure, _I thought. _Really, how good can this girl be?_

* * *

I sat triumphantly, recalling how I just beat that Corvina girl in a match that lasted an hour. AN HOUR. It was boring, but I still won. People from both Zora and Mogma cabins were here, as well as people from the Kikwi, Goron, and Parella cabins.

"Do I have any more takers?" I proclaimed like the mighty queen I felt like.

"I'll take a whack at it!" The dreaded screech of a Lanayrunian accent killed my ears.

"Hello. Tetra, was it?" I sneered as that digesting girl took a seat in front of me.

"Zelda? Is that yours? Sounds like an old lady."

"At least my name's real!" I yelled, then calmed down. "White or black?"

"Black. I wouldn't want to be stuck with such a sickening color. It reminds me of your skin. All pale and... gross."

"Well then, let's get started," I forced a smile, moving one of my pawns forward two spaces.

Tetra mirrored me. However, she left her king wide open. I moved my queen diagonally to where she would be aligned with the king. However, Tetra's bishop intercepted it.

"You plan your moves too openly. If you really want to win, keep it discrete," Tetra piped in.

"Why would I need to win? It's just a chess match."

"No, it's not. Loser has to jump into the lake."

"Oh, so that's how you want to play it! No, I'll crank it up a notch. Loser jumps into the lake. Butt. Naked."

Whispers and giggles could be heard from around the room.

I moved my horsey-guy to the far right, in front of my pawn and rook. Tetra advanced her pawn directly diagonal from my queen. I couldn't let her take it; the queen was the most powerful piece! If I lose my queen, I'm a goner. Also, I just don't feel like skinny dipping tonight. It's not like I ever actually want to skinny dip. I mean, sometimes I think about it but I don't actually do anything. Really, it isn't a conscious thought but I don't dream about it or anything. Err, I'm just going to stop talking.

I had four legal options for attack. I could take one of four pawns. Two were pointless, one led me straight to the king, and the other was a threat. Moving my queen diagonally, the threat was destroyed. Another pawn became a danger.

This is it. My queen was taken! My most powerful piece. My grey eyes glared at Tetra, who smirked at me. Her black eyes just screamed "_You mad, Zelda? You jealous?_" in the most horrific form of mockery. My eyebrows furrowed as I looked for the most brutal of chess attacks.

I had it. I'd move my horse-guy up, then up again, then to the left to capture her queen, leaving her defenseless king wide open! YES! VICTORY IS MINE!

I soon realized that the spot was next to a readied pawn. I was too busy fixing the problem with my horsey-guy that I didn't realize-

"Check."

That.

"What? How?" I frantically insisted, looking for every possible way that my king could be in check this early in the game.

"My bishop, idiot."

I looked at every diagonal for my most valuable piece. Sure enough, a black bishop was standing three spaces away.

Quickly, I moved my bishop into the black bishop's path. I glared at Tetra with the same smirk and mocking eyes. She frowned and bit her lip. Moving her bishop all the way back to its starting position, I realized that I could now take the queen with my awesome horsey-guy. HAHA!

Obviously, Tetra was so unaware of the danger to the point of moving another pawn.

"Moron," I scoffed as my horse-guy took her queen away. "Take that."

The pawn Tetra had just moved took one of my white pawns. I moved my counter-attack pawn forward only to realize the stupid mistake. Tetra captured it. If that stupid pawn made it to the back of the board, or in my case, front, she'd get her queen back. I had no options but to either capture it with another horsey-guy that I couldn't risk losing, or leave the king open with my bishop. I only moved a pawn.

Her pawn moved forward. I had no means to capture it. She was winning her queen back. I moved my other pawn yet again and so did she.

Her pawn promoted to queen, putting my king in check yet again. With my bishop, I took the queen back. I was winning yet again!

I moved my horsey-guy in front of her king. I just needed to make it to one space for victory. Her pawn took my horsey-guy!

"Not my horsey-guy!" I squealed.

"It's called a knight, stupid."

"Whatever! You still took it!"

I moved my pawn forwards to make room for my bishop, my Plan B. Silly little Tetra moved another pawn forward unaware of the danger. I moved my bishop over. Still, Tetra moved that stupid pawn, and it was then that I realized that she would take the pawn guarding my king, putting me in check for the third time.

Not today! I took the pawn with my epic white pawn of epical epicness.

Again, she moved forward another pawn.

"Really?" I questioned.

"What?" She whined.

"You keep on moving your pawns. Use the more powerful stuff!" I corrected. Tetra rolled her eyes.

I moved my bishop two spaces away from her king.

"Check," I sneered.

She moved her bishop in from of her king, blocking me. A mischievous smirk accompanied it. I moved a pawn forward. She captured it. I captured her bishop with my own.

"Check, again."

She smiled, moving her king forward. I moved my pawn, knowing that she would have to move her king back. She moved her king directing in front of the bishop.

"If this ends in a stalemate, you're jumping in with me!" I scoffed, acidicy rising in my voice.

She moved her king upon another white space. I retreated my piece to another spot, a leopard ready to pounce for its prey. I moved a pawn.

_Like small talk, for chess,_ I realized. _That's why she moved her pawns so much. It was a distraction._

She moved her king back to its starting space. I moved my bishop in front of it. Check, yet again.

Her rook intercepted my path. I captured it. Her king moved out of the way to a diagonal square. My bishop captured the pawn blocking it. She moved her king back.

Come to think of it, why didn't she just capture my bishop? I mean, it was right there. I mean, RIGHT. THERE.

It was a wild goose chase. Either she was going to capture my freaking bishop, or I was going to push her into the lake. I moved a pawn forward. Two pieces ready to kill that retarded king.

Tetra moved it across from my pawn. I moved another pawn forward, but it was taken by one of Tetra's.

Moving my bishop back, another plan exploded within my mind. It was brilliant, and she'd never see it coming! Tetra advanced a rook two spaces. Now was my chance!

I moved my pawn directly in front of her king.

"Check."

Her rook intercepted my path. I moved my own rook forward, ready for attack. She tried to block it my moving to the left, but my rook moved right next to it.

Her pawn stole it away from me. I moved my pawn forward. She moved her king back. I took her rook. Finally, she hesitantly took my bishop.

"Gosh! Do you want to win or not? Stop acting like a princess, all gentle and stuff! Sheesh!"

Her eyes widened to gigantic, white marbles.

I moved my horse-guy towards her king. Plan E. She took one of my pawns with her bishop. I moved my horsey-guy to the left. She advanced a pawn. I placed my horsey closer to her king, putting him in check AGAIN. If I got a red rupee for every time that guy got into check, I'd be rich.

Tetra advanced another freaking pawn. I moved my horsey-guy forwards, ready to reverse-jump the king. All she did was move her own horse-guy.

I moved my bishop. Tetra captured it. That seemed to be an ongoing thing. I move, she captures, vice versa.

Her rook advanced. I placed my own next to her king. She moved forward. As did I, only two spaces as opposed to one. I placed my rook all the way to the back of the board. Her king moved one space forwards. I advanced a pawn. Her king moved back. I advanced a pawn yet again. Her king moved to the left, falling right into my trap.

"You're good, Tetra. Just not good enough!" Her eyes widened as my horsey-guy captured her king.

"No! No! This can't be! That move's illegal!" She objected. However, Tetra was wrong. That move WAS legal. Everybody burst out laughing, except for sweet, darling little Tetra.

"Checkmate!"

* * *

The moon shown upon the serene lake gracefully. On the dock stood Tetra, as naked as naked could be. A few girls made wolf whistles, while others made snarky comments, such as:

"Lovin' the birthday suit!"

"Hot stuff!"

"Woo, baby!"

Tetra turned around, giving me a salute. A golden pendant hung from her neck, shining in the moonlight. I gave her a salute right back. Alas, Tetra turned around again.

With perfect technique, she dove into the freezing water.

"Quick! Take her clothes!" Karane whispered as the other girls fled. Watching like a hawk behind the safety of a large tree, Tetra surfaced and came up on the dock, grasping her leg. She walked over to the beach, where only her shoes remained.

Something dropped onto the ground from where she was, staining it a muddy red. Over her legs were four scars, two bleeding like open wounds.

As I was walking away, I could hear Tetra's sharp words.

"This means war!"

* * *

**Yup. I can't post a new chapter right away because of my computer. Sorry.**

**Also, those are things that they really say to Annie in the Parent Trap before she jumps into the lake. -_-**

**Thanks for reading! Expect Chapter 6 sometime in late August. Ha. August, Augustine. You'll get the reference later. **

**-Ani**

_**Published July 31, 2012.**_


	7. Chapter 6

**Hey, everybody! Long time, no see, right? Well, I've been working on editing the previous chapters, so, that's why it has taken so long to update. Also, my YouTube channel will be premiering with some Sims stuff starting in October! **_(Edit Jan. 2013: No Sims stuff on my YT channel.)_** It is also called anidnawind, and it has the same tree icon. If I get a Gamecube for Christmas, I'll be doing a Let's Play of the Wind Waker in 2013, so stay tuned!**

**Beta-read by the epic LeilaEditer! Go read her stuff!**

**I don't own Zelda.**

**-Ani**

* * *

**Chapter 6 (The Princess)**

I was going to die. I AM going to die if she is still buzzing around me like a horsefly. Stupid girl. Zelda Harlon is the most fowl, loudmouthed, insincere being I have ever met! Not that I have met a lot of people, but still!

Somehow, I must get rid of her. Maybe if I go and tell Miss Rose, she'll be expelled from camp! That has a pretty high chance of success! Zelda LXXVIII, most resourceful royal heir EVER! YEAH!

Pulling the ugly, muted green fleece sweatshirt over my head, I ran out of the cabin and into the misty drizzle of a Faron morning. Luckily, the portly Miss Rose was already standing outside my cabin, reviewing her schedule, which was pasted onto a rotting clipboard.

"Hello, dear! How may I help you?" She smiled, brushing her short, golden hair behind her round ears.

"I've been having some problems with another girl," I sighed, my eyes darting behind her large frame for anybody possibly related to Harlon, like that pigtailed ginger or the girl in the black dress. Not a single soul was around except for Miss Rose and I.

"Oh, dear! What is her name, sweetheart? You know that we do not tolerate bullying here at Camp Faron!" Miss Rose motioned me over to a small cabin with a painted sign saying "Administrative" on the porch. Pulling open a squeaky screen door, Miss Rose led me to a tiny room with three chairs, a bookcase, and a desk. Miss Rose sat at the desk, pulled out a pen and a legal pad, and began writing. I plopped myself down on a cracking leather recliner.

"Zelda Harlon."

"Her? She's such a sweetie pie! Why would she ever hurt you?" She looked up, a frown etched on her face.

"We were playing a game of chess and I lost. Zelda pushed me into the lake and took my clothes!" I could feel my face burning crimson.

"My dear king! When did this happen?"

"Two days ago."

"I would have remembered that if it happened during the day."

"It was at night."

"At night, you say? You are not allowed out of your cabins at night."

"She forced me to! It was awful!"

"Now, did she take your clothes before or after you jumped in?"

"After. I had to jump in naked."

"Did you?"

"Yes."

Her eyes turned into gigantic, hazel boulders. Miss Rose's pink lips quivered as she stared at me, utterly speechless.

"Why would you do such a thing?" Miss Rose spoke slowly and quietly, each word separated by an accented pause. The surprised stare continued. She dropped her legal pad.

"I was forc-"

"Nobody can force you to take off your clothes, Miss Lucifer. Nobody can force you to do anything. This was your fault."

"Lucienen. My name is Tetra Lucienen!"

"Like I care, you mannerless scoundrel! You have no respect for your peers or yourself!" She snapped. I backed away slowly.

"Are you going to suspend her?"

An evil smile swept over Miss Rose's plump face.

"Not at all, Miss Lucannon. You and Miss Harlon will both be placed in the isolation cabin on your accounts of public nudity, being at the lake unsupervised, and being outside at night, and Miss Harlon's accounts of harassment and being outside at night."

My stomach started to do gymnastics; the stupid guilt trip. At least that horrible hodge-podge of flesh and bone was going to be punished, too.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Gather your things. Now."

I left the room and towards my cabin, sulking the entire time. As I opened the door, Ilia and Sue looked at me with wide eyes.

"What happened, Tetra?" Sue inquired, pulling back her lavender hair.

"Yeah, we were, like, so worried about you!" Ilia squealed. "One minute you were, like, here, and then the next you were, like, gone!"

"I'm being sent to the isolation cabin with, her."

"I'm sorry." Sue whined.

"Me too."

We had just walked five miles. Five miles next to that Zelda girl. Horrible. Absolutely horrible. The sun burned my neck, it was hotter than Din's torch, and Zelda wouldn't shut up about my loss.

"Okay. The rest of you, back to your cabins!" Miss Rose yelled into a megaphone as all of the other girls yelled in joy and started running back to civilization. "You two," Her sausagey finger pointed towards a long set of winding stairs. "Over there."

Miss Rose and the counselors left, Zelda already running up the stairs. Steadily, I climbed the wooden blocks. When I had reached the summit, I was greeted by a dingy little cabin with that yellow-haired freak running around inside of it.

That Zelda girl was so strange. She had bangs that fell over her eyes, and you couldn't even see them, and she was always wearing that old grey baseball cap. I mean really, we have the same color hair and a similar looking mouth and nose, but that's where the similarities stop.

"Hey, snotface," Zelda greeted me as I walked in. I threw the black duffle on the other bed before throwing myself on it. "You got served by Miss Rose! That's what you get for being a tattletale!" Her cackle echoed within the dark, dusty cabin.

"Well, you're here too!" I spat. "It's not like you're a little angel or anything!"

"Angel? No way!" She laughed. "This was totally and completely worth kicking your butt at chess!"

"I'm going to go shower. Try not to kill me, okay?"

"I can't make any promises."

I stuck my tongue out at her. Ancient Goddesses, please help me!

Rain fell down in sheets against the cabin. I had left everything except for my shampoo, a towel, and a change of clothes outside the bathroom. Cracking the door open, I peeked out. Zelda was putting up pictures of a farm and a mountain on the wall, the window's breeze making her bangs and the pictures whip around violently. I needed to get the makeup without Zelda seeing me, but the chances of that seemed slim. Still, I tried.

A violent gust of wind knocked some of Zelda's pictures down. With all her might, she tried to close the window, but couldn't. A wave of guilt swept over me. I should help her. That would be the right thing to do anyways.

"I'll help!" I ran over and started pushing on the stubborn window. With one last push, it was shut. Then, as if on cue, we both looked at each other directly in the eyes at the same time.

"Oh my freaking pumpkins! What happened, Tetra? This is the worst prank ever!" Zelda's voice was full of fear.

"It's not a prank!"

My dear Nayru, she looked just like me! I don't have a twin or a doppelgänger or anything! Why is this happening? This is not supposed to happen! It's just not normal!

Her bangs were swept sideways due to the wind, letting me see her eyes. Just like mine, they were a sharp blue-grey.

"Tetra?" Zelda's voice wavered. "This isn't a very funny joke!"

"Like I said, this isn't a joke!"

"You look a lot like the Princess! Your hair is the same length and everything!"

"Well, you look like m- uh, Princess Zelda, too!"

"Shut up! I've been picked on for that since kindergarten!"

"This is really weird."

"No duh, Blondie!"

I looked at the floor. Soaked magazine clippings of Mt. Eldin were tossed across the floor, wettened inks bleeding through the flimsy paper.

"Where are you from?" I inquired, picking up a photograph.

"Eldin Province. But really, a small suburban-rural farmtown a few hours away from Kakariko City. Potentia. It's really close to Mt. Eldin. Back home, I can see it out my window," Zelda gazed at the picture. Her eyes clouded up; it was obvious that she was remembering something. Zelda's voice was filled with an emotion I have never heard. It was like happiness and a hint of depression, as hypocritical as it sounds. "I love it there."

Maybe it was love? I wouldn't know. Nobody has ever loved me, not even Impa.

"So, you're from Lanayru, right? Somewhere on the coast?" Zelda's eyes perked up at me. They reminded me of Farore, the way the irises almost seemed to smile, smiling without a care in the world.

For some reason, I felt comfortable with Zelda. There was just something familiar about her to me. Maybe this was Farore trying to get me to be friends with Zelda, and if it is so important that the Gods must intervene, I should probably trust her, regardless of the things she's done. After all, she's somebody's child and somebody's sister and somebody's friend. She's still a person. I hope I'm right about this.

I'm tired of lying to people. I'm tired of being locked away like rupees or gold. I'm tired of not being myself.

"Actually, I'm not from the Lanayrunian coast. I'm from Hyrule Castle City."

"And I'm the Queen of Geruda, yeah right!" Zelda started laughing.

"You might not be royalty, but I am," I sighed.

"What?"

"I'm the princess. I'm Zelda, Crown Princess of Hyrule."

"Yeah. Sure."

I glanced down at my shins. I needed to show her the long, gruesome scars that I bear on my legs- my only proof. I rolled up my pants, the scars revealed.

"Is this enough proof?"

Zelda gaped at them. She touched the scar on my left leg, sending shockwaves of pain through my body, making me whimper a little.

"You're the real deal, aren't you?" Zelda looked up at me with wide eyes, concern overflowing in her voice.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you leave such an extraordinary life?"

I looked around for a reason to change the subject.

"Hey, did you leave an iPod around your neck?"

"Oh, this?" Zelda pulled a glowing necklace from under her collar. "It's just some demon pendant thingymaji-"

I let out a gasp, pulling out my own pendant. Surprisingly, it was shining lilac. Then it hit me.

From back when I met with the Ancient Goddesses, the gifts separated into a ball of indigo light, and a ball of lilac light. The lilac light went to me, and since the indigo pendant was always around my mother's neck in pictures, this could only mean one thing.

"I think we're sisters!"

"Well no kidding, Your Royal Stupidness. It wouldn't take a team of rocket scientists to figure that one out, genius. Good grief."

"Can you stop being mentally demented and sarcastic for one minute, please! You're ruining the moment!"

"Yes, mi'lady! Shall I serveth you tea and crumpets, too, Your Highness?"

"Shut it, Zelda! And for the record, you must be a princess, too!"

"I'm no princess, and you aren't my sister. My sister is named Diana."

"When were you born?"

"April 22."

My eyes bugged out. Her adoptive parents must not have been very creative, because that was my birthday, too.

"So, you just turned fourteen, correct?"

"Yup. Where are you going with this?"

"Do you look like either of your parents?"

"I look a little like my mom. It's really weird because both my brother and sister have brown hair, and I was born with yellow. Genetics, you craaaazzaaay!"

"It's not genetics, Zelda! Those people aren't your parents! Think! We look exactly alike, we both turned fourteen this past April 22, and you don't even remotely look like your parents. Also, somebody must have known about your past. The name Zelda means 'maiden of the bleak battle' in Ancient Hylian, and it's the name given to every girl born into the royal family! So, not only are we sisters, but Zelda Harlon, we must be twins!"

Suddenly, reality sunk in. Actually, it kind of rammed me in the face with a sledgehammer. This girl, who I hated just 2 hours ago, is my twin. My twin! But wait... Why would we have been separated in the first place?

I glanced over at her. She looked like she had just been hit by a freight train, all wild-eyed and crazed. I felt like vomiting. This was just so surreal.

"You're lying, Tetra. I just know it. Nobody would just walk up and say that they were a princess and tell you that you are a long-lost twin princess person. It's just not normal!" Zelda huffed.

"Zelda, these aren't normal circumstances."

"You just don't have somebody walk up and tell you that your entire life has been a lie!"

"If it makes you feel better, my life has been a lie, too!" I could feel a lump growing in my throat and my eyes beginning to water. "Almost every time my father looks at me, he looks like he's about to cry. I barely even see my father and my brother hates me and my mother is dead and now I have this secret twin who thinks I'm crazy! I only trust my nursemaid and she is too unemotional and strict to even care! Nobody cares about who I am! They just hide me away and give me anything I want. I'm just a treasure. And as for an "extraordinary life", being treated as an object is not extraordinary. It's not even a life."

"Why did you lie to us, then, Tetra, if that's even your real name! Why did you lie to everybody at this camp?"

"I had to! My nursemaid forced me to! She said it was to protect me!"

"Nobody can make you do anything! And if your life is so horrible, why don't you just get killed or go kill yourself!"

"I can't because if my brother were to die, I would have to become queen."

"Nobody would want you as their queen. Nobody even knows what you look like."

"But t-"

"The last picture of you was taken on your seventh birthday. Long, yellow hair, bright blue eyes, purple dress. You haven't been seen in years."

"But I support charities and get mail an-"

"You sicken me."

The sunset creeped through the trees. I sulked back to my bed and collapsed. Zelda was right. Nobody would want me as their queen. Nobody even knows who I am.

* * *

My deep sleep was interrupted by a soft whistle. My eyes darted back and forth, but nothing was there. Suddenly, in the dead of the night, I heard it again.

I grabbed my hiking boots, but a little voice chimed in.

_Remember what happened last time you wore hiking boots? You really don't want to take that chance, do you?_

I heaved a sigh.

_No. Not tonight. I'm going to find that sound. _

I walked out into the black midnight. I heard the whistle again. It was coming from the woods, outside of camp boundaries. I ran through the thick area of pine trees, looking in all directions for anything that could be remotely dangerous in any way.

There, in the middle of a small clearing, was the Ancient Goddess of Courage blowing into a pan flute. Farore. She had summoned me.

"What now?" I asked.

"You should trust her," Farore's words came out slowly. She stopped playing her pan flute. A vision of Nayru flashed through my mind, warning me.

_Be careful who you trust._

Who should I believe? Nayru, the goddess of wisdom, or Farore, speaking to me now?

"Zelda? She hates me!" I whined, plopping myself onto the grass.

"You need to trust her, Tetra. She knows more than you think. Nayru's own words."

"Sure. Like I'd believe you."

"Give her a chance! Just because she doesn't trust you now doesn't mean that she won't ever trust you! This is the message Nayru instructed me to tell! Nayru, Ancient Goddess of Wisdom, Beholder of All Knowledge, etc. You know, the wisest being ever!"

"I only have half a week! She hates me! She HATES me, Farore! How am I supposed to get her to like me when I explode on her with crazy talk? The only reason I even told her was because of her eyes. They reminded me of you. I thought you were trying to help me!"

"Who's trying to help you?" A voice called. I whipped my head around. There, Zelda was standing in her pajamas with a flashlight.

"Why are you here?! You hate me!" I sneered.

"Look, Your Highness, I'm sorry. I was just really shocked. I'm sorry for everything."

"So you didn't mean it?"

"No, I meant everything I said, I'm just sorry I said it."

"Oh."

"I'm joking!"

"Really?"

"No."

"So, do you have a mental disease or do you just like to talk to yourself?"

So this whole time, nobody could even see the Ancient Goddesses? The whole palace must think I'm insane!

"Why are you here?" I asked starkly, changing the subject again.

"Your Highness, I h-"

"Can you stop calling me 'Your Highness'? It's just Tetra."

"Okay, Tetra, I have a brilliant idea!" She paused, a grin spreading across her face. "Let's switch places!"

"What?"

"See, you were telling me how you always feel unloved, and I'd like to meet my real family, so, yeah! If we switch places, you'll be loved, and I'll get to know who His Majesty and His Highness really are!"

"Yeah, we look alike, but we have to be convincing. And when are we going to switch back?"

"I'll teach you to be me, and you'll teach me to be you! It's brilliant!"

"I still don't know how we're going to switch back."

"The Olympic Opening Ceremony! At the end, we'll meet in the dressing room and bam! We meet each other again at next year's Camp Faron. I am a genius, Tetra!" Zelda held out her hand. "You wanna do this?"

I stared at it for a second.

"You know what, I'm in." I placed my hand in hers. As we shook hands, huge smiles spread over our faces. I sure hope this works.

* * *

The next morning, Zelda had taped a huge piece of paper on the wall with pictures and lots of writing. I sat in a chair and tried to soak it all in.

"Okay! First things first! My full name is Zelda Elizabeth Harlon! I will be in ninth grade this fall at Potentia High School. I will be fifteen on April 22 next year. Got that down?" Zelda yelled like a drill sargent. I scrambled to write down everything she said on a tiny notepad.

"Yes," I looked up.

"Great! I live in Potentia, Neller County, Eldin Province, Hyrule at 647 Earthside Drive. My mother is Jaynessa Kellis Harlon and my father is Gaepora Richard Harlon. I have a sixteen-year-old brother, Jonathon Conrad Harlon, and an eight-year-old sister, Diana Grace Harlon. She's going to be turning nine soon."

Zelda went on about her life for a while. I honestly doubt that I will remember all of this, but I will try.

"Now we can cut your hair!" Zelda grinned maliciously.

"What?" I said flatly.

"We have to cut your hair, stupid. Let's do this!"

"Is that your catchphrase?"

"Just for now."

I rolled my eyes. Zelda was rummaging through a drawer. I heard footsteps coming towards me, and before I could object, I heard a snap. Strands of bright yellow hair fell to the floor. With every snap, I cringed. My hair hasn't been cut in ages! No wonder I felt uncomfortable. When I looked into the mirror, I saw Zelda's face instead of mine. This plan is foolproof. If I weren't me, I'd swear I was Zelda Harlon.

Zelda stood right in front of me.

"Just like looking in a mirror," She chuckled. Zelda was right. It truly WAS like looking into a mirror.

"Okay, Tetra. Your turn. Tell me about you!" Zelda readied her notebook.

"Uh, well, my nursemaid, my father, and my brother all call me Tetra. And, uh, well, um," I paused, my hands getting wet with sweat. "I'm sorry, I can't do this. I'm just not good at speaking like you are. Zelda, you are just so perfect! You're smart and funny and you have a good taste in socks, and... me? I'm an emotional train wreck."

"I am not perfect, and if it makes you feel any better, Tetra, I have a feeling won't always be this way."

That time, I thought I heard Nayru's words come out of Zelda's mouth. I sure hope that Nayru is right. I stood up and began to speak. I'm ready to be cared about.

* * *

It was nearing midnight, and by now, I'm positive that we know everything there is to know about each other's daily lives, general knowledge, and behaviors. That was actually easier than I thought.

"We should probably switch pendants, but I can't take mine off," I sighed.

"So, who were you talking to the other day?" Zelda asked randomly.

"Just myself."

"Oh. Who's Farore? One of your palacey servant-people?"

"Uh, yeah! She, um, cleans my sheets! Yeah! Farore cleans my sheets!"

"Are you ready for Tuesday?" Zelda drew in a deep breath, rapidly changing subjects yet again.

"The switch is in two days. I don't know, Zel."

"If you made it this far, there's no point in giving up. I'm ready to know where I came from. What are you ready for?"

"Zelda, I'm ready for my freedom. I'm ready to be loved!"

* * *

**Yeah. Decent chapter, I guess. Review if you want to!**

**-Ani**

_**Published September 20, 2012.**_


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